ABSTRACT

        The purpose of this research was to (1) study socialist western philosophy (2) study the concept of Theravada Buddhist Philosophy and (3) analyze the concept of socialism related to Theravada Buddhist Philosophy. This study is a document research.

        The results showed that Plato's ideal society was caused by political turmoil in Athens. Socrates, his professor was killed unfairly. Plato believed that society's problems were from leaders of a state lacking justice. Plato's ideal society focused on leaders. He believed that good leaders should be a king of philosopher. Plato's form of government was the aristocracy. The concept of social politics of Plato was to share work. Social and political problems were from too much imagination more than reality. Strengthening political organizations were participatory. Influence of human towards social politics development was mental development   as well as good education management. Karl Marx believed that the history of society was always controversial. Such conflicts were caused by unfair production sharing between proletariats and the bourgeoisies. Karl Marx offered solutions to a problem by raising awareness of the proletariat to revolutionize severely against the capitalist system to cancel classes and proprietary system. Inputs of all society was controlled. They belong to public. The basis of production and sharing was conditions of fairness and equality of Karl Marx. All workers would be eligible to receive equal compensation. When there was enough production, all people received their requirement, and finally the society became without classes.

        Socialism of Theravada Buddhist Philosophy started Buddha who wanted to abolish an old social system and created a new social system of Indian modern era. Indian social caste system was denied. This system created clearly social inequality. Remarks were seen as the follows: 1) creating monastic disciplines as an alternative to liberate themselves from the lower castes of society and focusing on equality in all aspects of social monastic disciplines 2) guiding human to meet peacefully society of Maitreya. These were human society that everyone lived equally.

        Buddhadasa Bhikkhu was a modern Buddhism thinker. He helped socialist interpretation of Buddhism focusing on a basic lifestyle according to the principles of Buddhism. It was a form of society called “Dhammic Socialism” that was related to Tripitaka. Tripitaka had three goals of practices: 1) psychological value oriented lifestyle including  Dhama 2) rule value oriented tót-sà-pít-tá-râat-chá-tam 3) economic arrangement oriented the community in harmony with nature. There were two parts of solving peacefully problems: 1) right individual troubleshooting focusing on education, health, and spirit 2) overview society troubleshooting such as society, politic and economic problems.

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