Buddhism, Legitimation, and Conflict: The Political Functions of Urban Thai Buddhism in the 19th and 20th Centuries (soft cover)

The fundamental premise of this study is that the Buddhist sangha and Buddhist teachings play a key symbolic role in legitimating the exercise of secular power in Thailand. The author argues that a clear appreciation of the political legitimatory function of Buddhism provides the key to understanding the major theoretical and administrative changes that have taken place within Thai Buddhism in this century.