A Spectrum of Bahá’í Development Initiatives
Bahá’í endeavors in the field of social action comprise a broad spectrum. They include fairly informal efforts of limited duration undertaken by small groups of individuals, projects that have become more sustained over time, and programs with a higher level of complexity and sophistication implemented by Bahá’í-inspired development organizations. Irrespective of circumstances, the scope and complexity of such social action at any given moment must be commensurate with the number and capacities of people in a community who can carry it forward. As discussed previously, complexity emerges in an organic fashion.
Regardless of where along the spectrum it falls, every instance of social action represents an attempt to apply concepts and principles from the Bahá’í teachings to improve some aspect of the material life of society. The map provides a visual representation of the scale of these activities in countries around the world.
The pages titled First Stirrings, Community-Based Initiatives, and Development Organizations, provide an illustration of development activities at different points along the spectrum and discuss how such endeavors emerge.
Spread of Bahá’í Development Activities Worldwide
Trends in the Number of Development Activities from 1996-2022*
*Numbers given are conservative estimates based on information provided to the Bahá’í International Development Organization by national Bahá’í institutions. For further explanation of these categories, see the section links below under “Exploring This Topic.”
