The Enhancement of Democratic Politics by Applying Buddhist Principles of People Living in Mae Chua Sub-District Municipality, Den Chai District, Phrae Province

Abstract

This mixed-methods study aimed to investigate level of political democracy of people living in Mae Chua sub-district municipality, Den Chai district, Phrae province, including the relationship between Sāraṇīyadhamma and political behavior, and present the guidelines for enhancing democratic politics by integrating Buddhist principles into local contexts. The quantitative data were collected from 338 participants aged 18 and above using questionnaires. The data were then analyzed using descriptive statistics: frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Pearson correlation coefficient was applied in this study to analyze the relationship between Sāraṇīyadhamma and political behavior. The qualitative data were gathered from 10 key informants using in-depth interview. The results indicated that the political democracy level of participants was overall at an average level, while the relationship between Sāraṇīyadhamma and political behavior was a high positive correlation. Guidelines for enhancing democratic politics by applying Sāraṇīyadhamma were (1) Mettākāyakamma, which is based on promoting community participation and development; (2) Mettāvacīkamma, which focuses on encouraging creative communication in political discussion; (3) Mettāmanokamma, which highlights encouraging people to prioritize reason and information to make effective decisions; (4) Sādhāraṇabhogitā, which encourages people to sacrifice personal gain for the common good; (5) Sīlasāmaññatā, which aims to cultivate respect for rules and use reason in problem-solving; and (6) Diṭṭhisāmaññatā, which focuses on promoting acceptance of diverse opinions and freedom of expression, leading to sustainable development of local politics.