Dhammic Socialism FAQ

actually not all that frequent, but we've had a few questions ...

1)  Where can I get the book on Dhammic Socialism?

Dhammic Socialism, ed. DK Swearer; 1993, 142 pp. is available from TICD
(Bangkok). Swearer has a long & useful introduction, followed by three heavily edited   (the third extremely so) talks. Fortunately, the translation is OK.

Further, may I recommend my own "The Four Noble Truths of Dhammic Socialism" in
Entering the Realm of Reality, ed. Jon Watts, et al, INEB, 1997. You can order it
through Parallax Press (website), from INEB in Bangkok (email), or from the Buddhist Peace Fellowship (website) in the USA. Other articles in this book are excellent.

2)  Is it being pursued anywhere as a valid political viewpoint (eg. own
official party, etc.)?

Not that I know of. Aj Buddhadasa wasn't a political activist although some of his
students were. He didn't try to set up a religious movement, let alone a political one. His
purpose in speaking about Dhammic Socialism was more to clarify the broad framework and moral basis for a political-economic system in harmony w/ Dhamma. The nuts & bolts of such a system have to be worked out by others.

Further, at the time he first spoke of Dhammic Socialism this had a great impact in
helping to protect progressive thinkers & activists. As often happens, the right was saying that Communism would destroy religion. (The Thai state had already compromised & corrupted Buddhism thoroughly!) Aj Buddhadasa was the ONLY  major monk's voice to counter that propaganda.

Also, he attempted to point out the limitations & weaknesses of Marxist socialism,
which he felt was materialistic (ignoring the spiritual as capitalism also does) and too
focused on revenge.

3)  I read some of your web page and it was really great I just wrote because I was curious about some things. Is socialism a form of government on its own or would it work in conjunction with democracy?

For us, Dhammic Socialism is more than just government or a form of it. Rather, DS is the attitude & perspective that the good of society as a whole comes before personal wants & needs. We aren't saying, however, that some elite Cabinet or Politburo, or their bureaurocracies, are to determine -- let alone impose -- what is good for society as a whole. DS will come about through all members of society voluntarily & happily taking responsibility for the good of society, willingly putting restraints on their desires & destructive behaviors. Thus, DS can be contrasted with the Individualism of modern societies, which is manipulated by Capitalist Consumerism under the guise of Liberal Democracy.

4)  Wouldn't everyone have to accept socialism and give up a lot of their possesions for it to work?

More or less, but note that we aren't talking about Marxism or other materialist forms of Socialism. As for giving up a certain amount of possessions, that is, cutting back on selfish consumption -- the poor won't have to give up much -- isn't this required by the needs of the biosphere that we live in but are continually destroying?

5) Is socialism practical and logical for today's society?

Yes, but don't forget the Dhammic part. Necessary too. Without DS society will be a mess. Just see how it is when people don't really care all that much about or for each other, not to mention the whole (all beings).

6)  Also about the walk around the lake in Siam how was it going to solve the problems their? Was the goal to unite the villagers and make them aware of what was going on? Is any of the problems being corrected since the walks?

Such walks do not solve intractable problems all by themselves in one go. Rather, they can contribute to developing constructive conditions that will help people solve their problems eventually. Given the difficulties around the Lake & the lack of organization among the people, this will require long-term effort. Some of that walks' organizers live around the Lake and are involved in year round activities. They insist to folks like me -- who only work on Lake issues from time to time -- that the Walks have been very helpful in inspiring the villagers & bringing in more diverse participation in Lake issues.  

More specifically, our walks have aimed to show that there is a place for Buddhism in this work and what that role may be: peaceful, mediating, on the side of morality & justice, and unifying. Relevance is a big challenge for the out-dated Thai Sangha today.

Further, we hope to support people's organizations, such as small fisherfolk groups, and NGOs working on various aspects of the Lake. So far, they don't coordinate so well. We are hoping that by bringing concerned Wats, monks, & other Buddhists there will be more glue to connect these organizations into an effective network. We have been partially successful in this.

 

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