To the surprise of many, the Dalai Lama recently declared that, 'I am a socialist'. While many Buddhists and socialists would be perplexed at the suggestion that their approaches to life share fundamental principles, important figures in the Buddhist tradition are increasingly framing contemporary social and economic problems in distinctly socialist terms.

In this novel and provocative work, Terry Gibbs argues that the shared values expressed in each tradition could provide signposts for creating a truly humane, compassionate and free society. Hopeful about our potential to create the 'good society' through collective effort, Why the Dalai Lama is a Socialist is grounded in the fundamental belief that everyday human activity makes a difference.

Terry Gibbs is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Cape Breton University in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Introduction
1. Much Ado About No-Thing
2. Compassion is a Verb
3. Living in an Alienated World
4. Consumer Citizens in a Globalized Society
5. Bodies in the Basement
6. Capitalism and the Democratic Deficit
7. In Search of the Global Citizen
Conclusion