Sri Lanka, Nov. 24 -- In the complex tapestry of modern nation-states, governance is often viewed through the narrow lens of policy, legislation, and enforcement agencies. Yet, in countries like Sri Lanka, with a history stretching back millennia, the true bedrock of social stability and order lies not in the paid bureaucracy, but in the unpaid, pervasive service of its religious leaders. This extensive, voluntary network of moral guidance spanning Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, and Christian faiths acts as a critical, unpriced pillar that keeps the social fabric whole, preventing a descent into unmanageable crime that no government treasury could ever afford to police.

The sheer scale of this contribution is illuminated when juxtaposed with ...