POLITICS AND THE WISDOM OF COMMUNICATION

Abstract

Objectives of this academic article were to explore the relationship between politics and wisdom of communication by highlighting the role of communication as a space in which political power is produced, reflected, and contested. The central question addressed what constituted communicative wisdom and why it was crucial for fostering a quality democracy. This study conceptualized communicative wisdom as more than rational expression or technical skill; it encompassed the ethical use of language, responsibility for social consequences, and the ability to facilitate coexistence amidst diversity. Drawing from both Western philosophical frameworks, such as Habermas’s theory of communicative action, and Buddhist concepts like right speech and compassionate communication, the article sought to examine the possibility of cultivating a public sphere of conversation where discourse is not a battlefield of dominance but a shared space of inquiry and mutual learning. Furthermore, the article analyzed political communication in contemporary Thai society by investigating the dynamics of state media, citizen media, and key opinion leaders to reveal how communication is embedded in power, control, and contested meaning. Ultimately, this article offered new knowledge through the concept of communicative democracy, which emphasized participatory, ethical, and reflective discourse over manipulative or emotionally charged political messaging. Communicative wisdom is thus not merely a tool for political maneuvering but a foundational condition for building a legitimate political order that respects plural voices, sustains multi-dimensional truths, and fosters constructive engagement with conflict. This, in turn, paved the way for more legitimate politics and a higher-quality public sphere in the long term.