Sensual Austerity and Moral Leadership Cross-Cultural Perspectives from Plato, Confucius, and Gandhi on Building a Peaceful Society

This book examines the link between sensual austerity and moral leadership—a topic largely neglected in contemporary academic scholarship and public policy—by exploring the comparative cross-cultural perspectives of Plato, Confucius, and Gandhi, on this theme. Despite the diverse cultural contexts that gave rise to their respective philosophical perspectives, they shared similar views on what might constitute a universal and perennial basis for individual moral development in any harmonious political order. They all agreed that sensual austerity is necessary for the realization of a flourishing society and political culture: recognizing that control over sensual desire is both a vehicle for individual moral self-cultivation and social-political progress. Sensual austerity is thus an essential aspect of any morally governed person, institution, state, or society. The book also argues that further examination of this theme may assist scholars and policymakers in developing more peaceful and harmonious national and global communities.

1. Introduction

2. The Philosopher King: Body, Mind, and Eros

3. Moral Social Order and the Ideal Ruler, the Sage-King

4. Brahmacharya, Nonviolent Social Praxis, and Leadership

5. Parallels, Variations, and Pathways

Debidatta Aurobinda Mahapatra is a Professor of Political Science at Florida State College at Jacksonville, USA.

Richard Grego is a Professor of Philosophy and Cultural History at Florida State College at Jacksonville, USA.