Confucianism and Democracy - PDF Free Download

Confucianism and Democracy by Francis Fukuyama Irena Irmler Fabian Langaard Philippe Herter aka birthday girl

Agenda 2 1. Basics 2. Theory 3. Confucianism Confucianism 4. Résumée 5. Critique 6. Discussion

Basics

Confucianism History 4 Confucius 451 bc - 479 bc ideal: noble man, in harmony with the world power based on merits, not lineage 3 main aspects of life: sacrifice to ancestors, social & polit institutions, etiquette of daily behaviour morality, correctness of social relationship, justice & sincerity

Confucianism spread 5 China, Vietnam, Korea, Taiwan brought to Japan by Korea Neo-Confucianism merge of Confucianism, Buddism & Taoism

Fukuyama (I) 6 After Cold War, end point of History end of ideological evolution western liberal democracy as final (& last) form of human government since 19th century move towards democracy democracy prevents dangerous behaviour

Fukuyama (II) 7 Pro Freedom House democratic peace theory reduction of warfare after Cold War

Fukuyama (II) 7 Pro Freedom House [%] 1973 2009 Free 29 46 democratic peace theory Partly reduction of warfare Free after Cold War 25 32 Not 46 22 Free Source: http://www.freedomhouse.org/uploads/fiw09/comphistdata/countrystatus&ratingsoverview1973-2009.pdf

Fukuyama (II) 7 Pro Freedom House democratic peace theory reduction of warfare after Cold War

Fukuyama vs Huntington 8 Huntington «Clash of Civilisations» as reaction to Fukuyama Cold War: clash of ideologies (east-west) post Cold War: clash of civilisations universality of western values naïve conflicts: Serbia, India & Pakistan shift of power to East (Ch reg. Hegemon)

Confucianism & Democracy (I) 9 Main Questions Confucianism & western democracy incompatible? New Asian political-economic order, different from western capitalist democracy? Focus: mainly China & Japan

Confucianism & Democracy (II) 10 Modernization Theory expanded Confucianism political personal ethic Asian Way

Theory

Theory 12 Lipset s Modernization Theory Confirmed Huntington s Incompatibility of Confucianism and Democracy Contested

Modernization Theory 13 Economic development fosters democracy Myanmar Philippines Vietnam Thailand China South-Korea GDP per capita 8-freedom house index x 1000 Taiwan Japan

Modernization Theory 14 Correlation or causality? Talcott Parsons: form follows function Non-economic desire for recognition: Maslow s Pyramid

Modernization Theory: Japan Example 15 Japanese culture democratic values LDP-business-bureaucracy-triangle performs well 1993 upheaval demands reform

Criticizing Modernization Theory 16 Marxists: Modernization Theorists support unfair economic order Cultural Relativists: Eurocentric view of development and a good political system Time frame

Huntington s Contra 17 Confucian values Group Authority Cooperation Responsibilities Harmony Democratic values Individual Liberty Competition Rights Disagreement Conflict is perceived as a danger Conflict is perceived as a chance

Confucianism Confucianism 18

Difference between Confucianism in China and Japan 19 China (Confucianism) Japan (Neo-Confucianism) -Family oriented but not group oriented -Great distrust to others and to authority -Greater need for an authoritarian system (fear of splittering) -More group oriented -Believe in collective and authority -Politically more stable

Individualism and the collective community 20 Difficult to understand for western people Individualism: Counterpartless in Confucian cultures (Christian origin, now natural human right) Comparison between Individualism and Confuciansim unsatisfying (different initial point) Western Individualism = dialect unique to the United States (Over the Tipping Point)

Compatibility to Democracy-Approach 21 Arguments for Compatibility Arguments for Incompatibility Meritocratic examination system with potentially egalitarian implications Emphasis on education itself (high level of literacy) Relatively tolerant (compared to Islam, Christianity) Weak status of an Individual Lack of modernized thought of human nature as universal basis of rights Therefore disagreements over human rights policy In case of China: Society built up from the ground (family) not topdown Misuse of ideology for paternalistic political system (Singapore)

Résumée Future outlook 22

Asia is [therefore] at a very interesting crossroads 23 Modernization Theory Hypothesis Authoritarian System Wish to partizipate due to economic wealth (not western liberty but natural human dignity) Legitimization of a soft Confucianistic authoritarian system through western failure Linkage between recession and authoritarian triangle (surrounding LDP, Japan) Further economic success in Japan, Singapore, Taiwan etc. No fundamental obstacle to democratization Democracy itself seen as cause for recession (Japan)

24 Political partizipation is not western only. The way of doing it can differ, liberal systems in Asia could be expected, similar to western democracy but the initial point is another!

Critique 25

Critique 26 methodologically: inconsistency in argumentation only two countries in focus inconsequent structure (no red thread) why are there only a few democracies in Asia?!

Discussion

Discussion (I) 28 According to Fukuyama, Confucianism & Democracy can work together. Why are there barely any democratic movements in China? Oppression? Family more important than well-being of the state?

Discussion (II) 29 In Christianity, God used to be the ultimate source of universal law. During enlightenment God was replaced by the concept of human reason. Can familial ties in the Confucian sphere not be replaced by individual reason?