How to Vote Without Harming Society: Proposals for a Sustainable and Substantive Democracy

Abstract

                   In a democratic system, elections are a crucial mechanism for transferring power from the people to trusted representatives. However, in many societies—particularly those with fragile political structures or a lack of strong democratic culture—elections have become a source of severe social disruption. These include political polarization, hate speech, the spread of fake news, and disinformation, all of which undermine mutual trust and the nation's social capital. This article analyzes these issues through the frameworks of substantive democracy, social capital, and political communication in the digital era. This study aims to examine the political leadership of politicians in Bangkok, investigate the factors influencing such leadership, and propose guidelines for developing political leadership based on Buddhist principles. The findings indicate that 1) Political leadership should develop four key skills: exercising moral influence instead of relying on positional power, delegating tasks appropriately according to individual capabilities, managing with flexibility in response to changing situations, and fostering positive motivation. 2) Factors influencing the development of political leadership among Bangkok politicians through political socialization include family, education, mass media, and culture. Overall, these factors have a moderate positive influence and significantly contribute to explaining leadership development, with culture and family being the most influential. And 3) The development of political leadership among Bangkok politicians emphasizes the integration of Buddhist principles with four leadership skills—moral influence, appropriate delegation, flexibility in management, and positive motivation—along with the application of Pāpaṇika Dhamma and political socialization through family, education, media, and culture, in order to enhance morality, transparency, and the pursuit of the common good in a sustainable manner