The Free Market Buddhist

The Buddha gave us guidelines on how to live and how to find our way out of suffering and into genuine, lasting happiness. While much of his advice focuses inwards, including meditative practice, he also emphasized ethical treatment of others and care for their well-being. For contemporary Buddhists navigating modern life, his teachings offer value not just in our own lives, but in our political engagement as well. What kind of world do we want to create? What role should the government play? How should we make sure everyone has enough to eat, is free from violence, and has the opportunity to thrive?The Free Market Buddhist makes the case that the best way to realize Buddhist values of non-violence, peace, and compassion in our society and its political institutions is through a strong embrace of individual liberty, limited government, and free markets. The book draws on early Buddhist texts to show how the Buddha saw the value in a light governing touch, peaceful commerce, and wealth. And it shows how using politics to control each other, including to control the economy, runs counter to fundamental principles of Buddhist ethics.In the end, the best world, for Buddhists and for everyone else, is one of peaceful, non-coercive cooperation, and dynamic markets powered by competition and innovation.