The Influence of the Fourth Precept of Pañcasīla on the Political Expression Development through Social Media of the People in Democracy

Abstract

Social media was full of political conflicts, even though it should be a public space for expression according to democratic freedom. There were attempts to propose law enforcement or supervision by service providers, which was a late-stage solution. Therefore, Thai society should promote behavior according to the Fourth Precept of Pañcasīla, an important basic morality in Buddhism, to reduce this problem. This article was a part of a doctoral dissertation with the objectives: 1) to study the influencing factors of the Fourth Precept of Pañcasīla on the political expression development through social media of the people in democracy; 2) to develop the political expression through social media of the people in democracy according to the Fourth Precept of Pañcasīla; and 3) to present a model for developing political expression through social media for the people in a democracy according to the Fourth Precept of Pañcasīla that was appropriate and should be in the future. This research was mixed-method research, consisting of theoretical model development and quantitative data collection, using questionnaires from a sample of Generation Z, aged 18–34, who had expressed political opinions on social media and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis along with qualitative data collection through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions to verify the developed model.

It was found that, in Phase 1 research, Thai Generation Z understood and practiced the Fourth Precept of Pañcasīla at a moderate level, with significant differences among individuals. The SEM analysis results indicated a statistically significant positive relationship between the various factors according to the theoretical concepts, including understanding the Fourth Precept of Pañcasīla leading to awareness and practice, which in turn led to active listening and self-inquiry. These processes led to a higher quality of political expression through social media. Phase 2 research, using in-depth interviews, confirmed these findings, emphasizing that improving the quality of political expression should start with cultivating the Fourth Precept of Pañcasīla at the individual level, along with practicing active listening and self-inquiry behaviors. Phase 3 research, using focus group discussions, supported the systematic advancement with collaborative efforts from all parties, including family institutions, education, religion, media, and the government sector, to transform values into political maturity based on morality, truth, and responsibility towards the public. This research offered a model for integrating Dharma with communication skills that systematically promotes the quality of behavioral democracy in the digital world as well.