The Society of High-Morality: Buddhadas Bhikku's Perspective

I got this sequences of Than Buddhadas (ท่านพุทธทาส) quotes from the academic paper that I'm reading for my essay.

It's very interesting, since Than Buddhadas proposed his ideal type of society base on his buddhist ideology. The society which is based on the moral ground, and self-restraint of greed.

It might be the type of society that the present (military-chosen) government try to propose; society based on high morality.

Let's see what Than Buddhadas said (the following phases are quoted indirectly from "Buddhism and the Idea of Human Rights: Resonances and Dissonances" by Perry Schmidt-Leukel, University of Glasgow)

“Liberalism cannot provide a basis for social utility because it promotes selfishness,individual benefits rather than social benefits” (Buddhadäsa 1989).

By viewing Liberalism as incompatible ideology for the morality to flourish, Than Buddhahas refused to endorse liberal democracy as desirable mode of government. Proposing instead the socialism dictatorship mode of government to control people morality.

For Buddhadäsa, true freedom consists in conquering all selfish tendencies. A socialism with dictatorial features, being opposed to the liberal ideal of individual freedom, is therefore more suitable for dealing adequately with the problem of selfishness than liberal democracy (Buddhadäsa 1989).


Than Buddhadas stress on the moral quality of dictatorship, by stated that this dictatorship "must" possess the ten virtue of the king (dhamma raja).

However, it is necessary that the socialist dictator follow the Dharma and manifests—in accordance with the ancient Buddhist ideal of the Dharma-king—the ten virtues of kingship (cf. Buddhadäsa 1989)

“If a good person is the ruler the dictatorial socialism will be good, but a bad person will produce an unacceptable type of socialism.A ruler who embodies the ten royal virtues will be the best kind of socialist dictator”(Buddhadäsa 1989).

With high moral dictator in place, looking after citizen who were able to restaint their self-interest. We finally reached the ideal type of society. The Society of High-Morality.

Such an ideal Buddhist dictator, says Buddhadäsa, will look after his people the way good parents look after their children (Buddhadäsa 1989). He will “promote the common good” and “abolish the evil of private, selfish interest”(Buddhadäsa 1989).

The book quoted here as Buddhadäsa 1989, is "Buddhadäsa (1989). Me and Mine: Selected Essays of Bhikkhu Buddhadäsa. Ed. Donald Swearer. New York: SUNY."

Well, I have no intention to criticise Than Buddhadas's idea.

Just want to reflect on the present propagande of this government to promote the society based on restraint of self-interest, greed, and celebrates high morality. These promotions come together with the process of promoting the appointed prime minister as "possessing high morality".

I know many readers will readily accept that promoting the society with high-morality standard is a good idea, since it's in accordance with Buddhist philosophy. But would you like to live under this type of society: Benevolent Social Dictatorship ?