Moral Lessons of the Twentieth Century : Gorbachev and Ikeda on Buddhism and Communism

This book emerged from a series of conversations between Mikhail Gorbachev and Daisaku Ikeda. Together they explore their experiences of life amidst the turmoil of the 20th century and together they search for a common ethical basis for future development.

Mikhail Gorbachev and Daisaku Ikeda are contemporaries raised in different cultures: Gorbachev is a statesman whose origins are the Marx-inspired world of communism while Ikeda is Buddhist inspired by the thirteenth century Japanese sage, Nichiren. Moral Lessons of the Twentieth Century emerged from a series of conversations between these two men. Together they explore their experiences of life amidst the turmoil of the twentieth century and together they search for a common ethical basis for future development. They conclude that values are born of culture and that peace, progress and social justice can only be achieved through sincere communication and cultural exchange. As the new century begins, they have sought to turn the spotlight on the challenges which face humanity. The book is a call for dialogue in pursuit of values that bridge culture and time.