Tuesday, April 4, 2017

An Enlightened Minority


As soon as one seriously introduces Buddhist values into the arena of politics, one will encounter difficulties in reconciling them not only with capitalism and consumerism but also with liberal democracy. While it may be fashionable to draw on Buddhist doctrines, such as interconnectedness, to support a Green political ideology, for example, one needs to be aware that the body of doctrine that enshrines such a notion could also be used to support a Green totalitarianism, a society governed by an enlightened minority who would compassionately dictate what would be best for the survival of the planet.

~Stephen Batchelor, in Secular Buddhism


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