Abstract

This chapter argues that the three elements of Buddhist political theory—the doctrine of anattā /no-self, the theory of limited citizenship, and the theory of ethical naturalism and irrealism/anti-realism—are both similar to Western theories and different from them in important ways. Further, it argues that the three elements go together logically—if we assume that people are selves, it makes sense to ask whether they have rights and duties, and if so whether those are expressed through politics. Conversely, if we assume that people are not selves, the questions of ethical realism and of robust citizenship may never arise. Finally, it argues that the Buddhist approach helps to clarify and resolve some problems in Western thought, such as the apparent impossibility of autonomy.