The relationship between Buddhism and democracy has a long history with some scholars claiming the very foundations of Buddhist society were democratic.[1][2] Though some historic Buddhist societies have been categorized as feudalistic, the relationship between peasants and land owners was often voluntary. Free-thinking Buddhist societies supported autonomy; peasants had mobility and could own land themselves.[3] Currently countries claiming democracy with Buddhist state religions are Bhutan,[4] Cambodia,[5] Myanmar,[6] and Sri Lanka.[7]
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- ^ "Bhutan's Constitution of 2008" (PDF). constituteproject.org/. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
- ^ "Constitution of Cambodia". cambodia.org. Retrieved 13 April 2011. (Article 43).
- ^ "Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (2008)". Constitutional Tribunal of the Union. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023.
- ^ "Sri Lanka".