Politics

ipcc
Advayacitta
Advayacitta explores the nature of the IPCC and the quality of its reports.
A Buddhist Utopia
Ratnaguna
The second in a series exploring what the Buddha said about society. In this one we look in detail about how, according to the Buddha, an empire should be ruled.
Gangetic plain
Ratnaguna
A commentary on the seven principles the Buddha gave to the Vajjika League, saying that, if followed, would prevent its decline and assure its growth and prosperity.
uko-post-artwork-large-79174
Vidyaruchi
An exploration of the principles of an authentic social justice movement, beginning with the need for the exercise of reason and an agreement between narrative and fact.
mushroom cloud
Advayacitta
Advayacitta begins to explore the history of climate change politics. He investigates the cultural context within which preoccupation with global warming developed. It was a context notable for its intense fear of disasters.
Homeless
Rick Bradford
Chapter 13 of The Destructivists by William Collins, in which he explains why 'Wokeism' has become dominant in all centres of power and authority.
B.R._Ambedkar
Vidyaruchi
Dr Ambedkar was a unique figure in world history. Buddhists seeking to promote 'Social Justice' causes have been known to cite him as a precedent. But is this justified? Vidyaruchi investigates.
un assembley
Rick Bradford
Chapter 10 of The Destructivists by William Collins, in which he explains why the 'elites' - the privileged, the established, the influential, the powerful - have most to gain from the imposed Moral Infantilism of society.
Wolf2
Vidyaruchi
Calls for 'Social Justice' seem to be getting shriller, and the demands made in its name stranger. Vidyaruchi explains what the terms have come to mean, where the ideas underlying their current use originated, and why they are so dangerous.
angry annoyed woman, getting mad asking question you talking to
Ratnaguna
Ratnaguna discusses the rise of offence-taking in our culture and argues that, just because someone gives offence, doesn't mean you have to take it.
sun over trees
Advayacitta
In this article Advayacitta describes the process of how he came to alter his opinion about climate change.
moralinfant
Rick Bradford
Chapter 7 of The Destructivists by William Collins, in which he explains how supposed moral rectitude functions as a form of power.
defund
Subhamati[1]
Many people, including some Buddhists, now believe that black lives are 'systematically and intentionally targeted for demise' by the police. In the second instalment of 'An Immoral Panic', Subhamati examines the evidence.
the destructivits
Rick Bradford
Chapter 2 of The Destructivists by William Collins, in which he ascribes the divisions in our society to a form of moral corruption which must be countered in moral terms.
Achara
Prajnanandi read ‘a good heart is not enough’, and wrote to the author to say, 'I absolutely agree with the principles you outlined, but when I applied the principles, I came to the opposite conclusions. Can we talk?’
Command-and-Control
Advayacitta
Advayacitta explores how decision making in health care has been increasingly taken away from clinicians and their patients, and replaced by authoritarian control by governments and bureaucracies.
Red Pill Blue Pill concept. The right choice the concept of the movie matrix. The choice of tablets
Achara
The concluding part of the series on wise policymaking introduces the fifth principle: ‘hone your truth-seeking ability’. This far-reaching and challenging principle includes some concrete suggestions as to how policymakers can free themselves of groupthink
Vaccination
Achara
Policy creation is an important activity, rich with possibilities for beneficial action. But how to bring a clear head, as well as a good heart? This second part introduces two further principles of wise policymaking.
A Good Heart
Achara
Wise policymaking is a beneficial activity for the world, and hence can be a spiritual practice for leaders of faith communities. But how to bring a wise head, as well as a loving heart?
Advayacitta
Ratnaguna and Advayacitta discuss the book ‘Despised: Why the Modern Left Loathes the Working Class’ by Paul Embery, and the important issues it raises.
Bias
Hamilton-Shaw
Unconscious Bias Training is a growing industry and is currently highly fashionable among corporations. But is it effective? And in actual use, how free is it from bias? Taking as his starting point the Buddhist notion of avidya, Thomas Hamilton-Shaw casts a critical eye upon UBT.
White people
Ratnaguna
An American professor of religion and culture has recently published an article in which she accuses Apramāda of trying to 'delegitimize and derail racial justice work'. In this article Ratnaguna responds to her criticisms.
Abhaya Mudra
Subhamati[1]
How should we define ‘racial equality’? Calls for equality of socio-economic outcomes between racial groups are getting louder. But how coherent are such demands? Or feasible? And what should Buddhists make of them?
Individuals
Ratnaguna
Part 2 of the series Breaking Free of Tribalism and Becoming an Individual
An Immoral Panic
Subhamati[1]
An investigation into truth, delusion, justice and race in the USA
Tribe
Ratnaguna
The first of a 3 part series Breaking Free of Tribalism and Becoming an Individual. In this one Ratnaguna examines the nature of tribes.
Popper-3
Vidyaruchi
Vidyaruchi considers the limitations of Popper's political thought, and argues that the liberalism that he espoused needs a framework of higher values such as is found in Buddhism.
Walking with the wind
Ratnaguna
Aryajit interviews Ratnaguna on Walking with the Wind by the Civil Rights activist John Lewis. Please note, Ratnaguna said Lewis was a Republican politician, but he was actually a democrat.
Anywheres
Vaddhaka2
As unenlightened human beings, we all have predispositions – patterns of desire, perception and feeling – that often lead us astray and generate suffering. Whole societies can split into mutually unintelligible ‘tribes’, blind to one another’s pain or anger.
Head in Hands
Advayacitta
Advayacitta, a clinical psychologist, explores how political ideologies can undermine psychological functioning, thereby harming individuals and whole societies.
Stairway to EU Heaven
Subhamati[1]
In Part Two of this series, Subhamati takes a closer look at Stephen Batchelor's Tricycle article on Brexit, and asks whether it inadvertently reveals a significant weakness in the way Western Buddhists think about political matters.
Brexit[1]
Subhamati[1]
If you are a Buddhist, are you bound to be a Remainer? Many seem to think so, including one of Britain's best-known writers on Buddhism. But why do they take a 'tragic and prophetic' view of Brexit?
leave-your-views[1]
Ratnaguna
Ratnaguna discusses the importance of Buddhists transcending political ideologies, and developing wisdom.

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