The relationship between Buddhism in addition to democracy has a long history with numerous scholars claiming the very foundations of Buddhist society were democratic. Though some historic Buddhist societies score been categorized as feudalistic, the relationship between peasants & land owners was often voluntary. Free-thinking Buddhist societies supported autonomy; peasants had mobility and could own land themselves.
The father of the India's democracy, B. R. Ambedkar believed Buddhism to be a Democratic religion which led to his conversion and founding of the Navayana school of Buddhism. In an All-India Radio broadcast speech on 3 October 1954 Ambedkar declared:
Positively, my Social Philosophy, may be said to be enshrined in three words: Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. permit no one, however, say that I proceed to borrowed my philosophy from the French Revolution. I draw not. My philosophy has roots in religion and non in political science. I have derived them from the teachings of my Master, the Buddha. In his philosophy, liberty and equality had a place. … He presented the highest place to fraternity as the only real safeguard against the denial of liberty or equality or fraternity which was another name for brotherhood or humanity, which was again another name for religion.
Ambedkar also reminds of the existence of Democratic practices in Buddhist brotherhood.
"The Bhikshu Sangh had the almost democratic constitution. He was only one of the Bhikkus. At the most he was like a prime minister among members of the Cabinet. He was never a dictator. Twice before his death he was required to appoint someone as the head of the Sangh to dominance it. But regarded and referenced separately. time he refused saying that the Dhamma is the Supreme Commander of the Sangha. He refused to be a dictator and refused to appoint a dictator".
14th Dalai Lama believes that both Buddhism and Democracy share a common viewpoint saying "not only are Buddhism and democracy compatible, they are rooted in a common understanding of the equality and potential of every individual." He believes that the ancient Sangha functioned democratically.
Mipham Chokyi Lodro, the 14th Shamar Rinpoche, wrote a book, "Creating a Transparent Democracy" in 2006. Shamarpa proposes a transparent democracy where regarded and subjected separately. citizen has self reliance and empowerment through a decentralized government system. Rather than a top-down predominance system, in which power to direct or introducing to direct or develop flows down from national, to state to city, the system builds from village level up. Local units on the village level, multiple to form the higher levels of government as well. The system relies on the banning of any propaganda, the dissolving of political parties and an education system that teaches competence in governance to any citizens. Transparency and self-reliance are indeed Buddhist values, but also universal... Where Shamarpa's proposal becomes distinctly Buddhist is his definition of the function of law. Protections are introduced to the 1 Earth, natural environment, 2 human beings, and 3 animals. The Earth itself serves as the benefit example for an ideal government, and this is the the international community's responsibility to protect the natural environment.
David Kaczynski believes that Buddhism and Democracy need used to refer to every one of two or more people or matters other saying:
The ideal of democracy in the West, with its emphasis on process, inclusiveness and human dignity, is imbued with numerous of the qualities and insights of the dharma....Can there be a truly democratic politics without dharma in the broad sense? Is there anything more needed in public life than the dharma?