Asian values

Asian values was a concept that came into vogue briefly in the 1990s to justify authoritarian regimes in Asia, predicated on the belief in the existence within Asian countries of a unique set of institutions and political ideologies which reflected the region's culture and history. Although there are many differences in Eastern and Western ideas, philosophy, etc., there is no single set of "Asian" values. The political phrase "Asian values" should not be confused with "traditional values."

Definition

Because the proponents of the concept came from different cultural backgrounds, no single definition of the term exists, but typically "Asian values" encompass some influences of Confucianism, in particular loyalty towards the family, corporation, and nation; the forgoing of personal freedom for the sake of society's stability and prosperity; the pursuit of academic and technological excellence; and work ethic and thrift. Proponents of "Asian values", who tend to support Asian-style authoritarian governments,^{[citation needed]} claim they are more appropriate for the region than the liberal values and institutions of the West. These values found expression in the Bangkok Declaration of 1993, which reemphasized the principles of sovereignty, self-determination, and noninterference.

A brief list of such "Asian Values" includes:^{[citation needed]}

1. Predisposition towards single-party rule rather than political pluralism
2. Preference for social harmony (see Fraternization) and consensus as opposed to confrontation and dissent
3. Concern with socio-economic well-being instead of civil liberties and human rights
4. Preference for the welfare and collective well-being of the community over individual rights
5. Loyalty and respect towards forms of authority including parents, teachers and government
6. Collectivism and communitarianism over individualism and liberalism
7. Authoritarian governments (which have certain responsibilities as well as privileges) as opposed to liberal democracy.

Political significance

The concept of "Asian values" was a popular idea in People's Republic of China, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and also in some political circles in Japan.^{[citation needed]} In Malaysia and Singapore, the concept of Asian values was embraced partly because it reconciled Islam, the religion of the Malays, with the Confucianism of the ethnic Chinese, and Hinduism, thereby helping to create a sense of common values between different ethnic and religious groups in those countries, as well as forming an ideology that they could call their own which is different from the West. In Japan, it was popular among some nationalist circles because it challenged the West and also offered the possibility of Japanese leadership in a new Asia. Throughout the 60s-80s decades, the East and Southeast Asian regions were the only developing regions that grew exponentially in terms of economic wealth; some proponents of Asian Values have credited this success to a distinctive "third-way" Asian political model that was touted as an alternative to both totalitarism and liberal democracy.^{[citation needed]}

Mahathir Mohamad and Lee Kuan Yew, at that time the prime ministers of Malaysia and Singapore, respectively, were particularly vocal advocates of Asian values. Lee maintained that more than economics, more than politics, a nation's culture will determine its fate. Fareed Zakaria has written extensively on Asian values, while Amartya Sen has been one of the concept's strongest critics. Some critics of the term argue that no universal "Asian" value system exists, because the cultural diversity of Asia is too great for there to be a single set of common values across the region. The suggestion that a set of 'Asian values' operated throughout the Asian region, or even just in East Asia, contradicts what we know about the presence of long-standing religious (Islamic, Hindu, Confucian, Buddhist, and Christian) and other divisions in the region, and of the major social and cultural transformation that has been underway, especially in the last decade or so.

The concept of "Asian values" began to lose currency after the Asian financial crisis weakened the economies of many Asian countries, leading to the collapse of the Suharto regime in Indonesia.^{[citation needed]} Some consider these values to have contributed to the crisis.^{[citation needed]} When the crisis spread worldwide, the blame subsided.

A sharp observation may suggest that speaking in the name of Asian values (as opposed to Western, or universal values) serves the purpose of forming a robust ideological counter force in Asia, and most particularly in China, to the nations which most clearly aim at the imposition of western ideology on the East. One way or the other, the use of the term is capable in itself of creating a significant Dialogue Among Civilizations between human ideas in all fields.

In 2006 Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla linked the concepts of Asian values with the proposed East Asian Free Trade Agreement and East Asian Community arising from the East Asia Summit. He partly defends Asian values by placing emphasis on co-operation over competition.

Criticism

Taiwan social-politics critic Lung Ying-Tai argues that Asian values are merely a doublespeak on suppressing universal values of freedom of speech and human rights.

Several Asian political figures have expressed criticism of the idea of Asian values, including former President of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Lee Teng-hui, and former President of the Republic of Korea (South Korea), Kim Dae Jung.

Recalcitrant Interdependence

The international relations concept of Recalcitrant Interdependence discusses the Asian Values as a movement. The author, Robert Potter engages a substantial critique of the arguments in favor of Asian Values and argues that Asian Values as a concept cannot fit within the international norms as they presently exist. The work is especially critical of the movement's definition of sovereignty, insistence of liberty trade-offs and it's discussion of human rights.

Media

The concept of Asian values is the main theme of the 2002 film Hero which was directed by internationally acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou and starred famed martial arts actor Jet Li. The film was criticised for its perceived pro-totalitarian subtext and ulterior meaning of triumph of security and stability over liberty and human rights.

See also

• Guided democracy
• Nihonjinron
• Pan-Asianism
• Recalcitrant Interdependence

References

Other

• Loh kok Wah, Francis & Khoo Boo Teik. "Democracy in Malaysia: Discourses and Practices" Curzon Press, Richmond Surrey, 2002.
• Surain Subramaniam. "The Asian Values Debate: Implications for the Spread of Liberal Democracy" Asian Affairs. March 2000.
• Ankerl, Guy. Coexisting Contemporary Civilizations: Arabo-Muslim, Bharati, Chinese, and Western. INUPRESS, Geneva, 2002 ISBN 2-88155-004-5

External links

• Human Rights and Asian Values: What Lee Kuan Yew and Le Peng don't understand about Asia by Amartya Sen.
• The Illusion of Exceptionalism by Francis Fukuyama
• "Asian Values" and the Universality of Human Rights by Xiaorong Li
• What's Happened to Asian Values? by Anthony Milner