The Free Market Buddhist: Dharma for an Open and Prosperous Society

Hi, Product Hunt. I'm Aaron Ross Powell, author of the Free Market Buddhist newsletter (and upcoming book). I'm a think tank scholar in DC, host of the Free Thoughts podcast, a practicing Buddhist. I've been studying Buddhist philosophy for the last several years and noticed a large disconnect between what the Buddha said about commerce, wealth, and politics, and the political and economic policies advocated by a lot of contemporary Western Buddhists. I believe that if you take the Buddha's ethical ideas seriously, they point to world of free markets, cooperation, and peace, not interventionist government and political control of the economy. What's more, if we care about advancing Buddhist values, including compassion, non-violence, and respect for autonomy, we should embrace markets and a restrained state. The Free Market Buddhist is my project to explore those ideas, with the goal to be accessible and interesting for both Buddhists and non-Buddhists. Buddhism is a fascinating and valuable philosophy, and one with a lot to say about how we can make the world better. I hope you enjoy the newsletter!