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Asian Values

Asian Values. 2009. VALUES . I should go to school because: 1. My parents want me to be in school 2. I want to be with my friends 3. I want to learn about many things in this world 4. I like to prepare for serious work later in my life 5. I need education to help my family

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Asian Values

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  1. Asian Values 2009

  2. VALUES • I should go to school because: • 1. My parents want me to be in school • 2. I want to be with my friends • 3. I want to learn about many things in this world • 4. I like to prepare for serious work later in my life • 5. I need education to help my family • 6. I want to become an engineer, doctor, teacher, etc. some day

  3. EAST vs WEST • Different concept between the East and the West – ‘Goodness’ vs ‘Rights’ -- Fred Dallmayr • Ours (The West) is largely a rights-based morality” --Henry Rosemont • Individuals have rights, and there are things no person or group may do to them (without violating their rights)." -- Robert Nozick • Classical Confucian -- "qualities of persons“ and with "persons who have or do not have these qualities"; where western morality invokes "abstract principles.“

  4. Asia – the World’s bright economic spot • Asia-Pacific region will be the fastest growing regional economic block from 2003 to 2007, estimated growth rate at 5.9% * • In Nov 1993 on national TV, facing the horizon, the ex-President Eduardo Frei depicted the economic importance of the Pacific Ocean. * Economic Intelligence Unit & the Asian Development Bank

  5. Asia – the World’s bright economic spot • Chile hopes to strengthen its relations with Asia to advance global free trade. • Chile was the first South American country to establish relations with Beijing in Dec 1970. • Chile has Free Trade Agreement with South Korea and China. In June 2005, Pacific Four (P4) –Chile, Singapore, Brunei and New Zealand • Chile signed with Japan in Sept 2007.

  6. 2. Inventing “Asia” • Asia –the East and Orient–European invention from ancient Greeks. It refers to the vast land and people east of Europe borders. • The Near (Middle) East, the Far East • Southeast Asia • Regionalism in East Asia --- historical patterns of cooperation, common challenge of the West, the quest for an Asian identity, growing economic interdependence

  7. 3. Region-building in Asia – “Asia Consciousness” • Post-second World War, numerous region-building --The Inter-Asian Relations Conference in New Delhi, South East Asia Command (SEAC), Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (Seato), Maphilindo (for Malaya, the Philippines & Indonesia uniting the Malay peoples) and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian States) • The ASEAN +3 regionalism • “East Asia Community” • Many “Asias” – religious /civilization divisions

  8. 4. Challenges on Region-Building • IR divisions -- The China/Japan division, antagonism between Japan and Korea, Thailand and Burma, Indian and Pakistan over Kashmir … • Different impact of colonialism between British, Dutch, French, American and Japanese colonialism • North-South divide within the region • What type of regionalism prevails - an exclusive regionalism or an inclusive regionalism embracing the United States, Australia and other Western countries? - It will be determined partly by the success of the promotion of 'Asia' consciousness.

  9. 5. The East and the West: Key questions to ask about “Asian Values” • What are these ‘Asian Values’? Are they different from “western values”? • What are the contexts and the origin of the “Asian Values” debate? • Are “Asian values” the culprit for Asian Financial Crisis? • How do ‘Asian Values’ relate to globalization and development?

  10. 6. Overview of the Presentation • Part One • Historical Roots • European Advance • Background, Context • The Concept of ‘Occident’ and ‘Oriental’ • Development of “Asian Values” Debate • Proponents of “Asian Values” • Part Two • The Essence of “Asian Values” • The Assumptions of “Asian Values” • Empirical Studies on “Asian Values” • Why did they clash with the West? • Asian Values and Democracy – Divergent views • Asian Values and Human Rights – Divergent views

  11. 7. Overview of the Presentation • Part Three • “Asian values” and Economic Development • The ‘myth’ of Asian Economic Miracle • The Asian Financial Crisis: Were “Asian Values” the culprit? • The Asian Financial Crisis: Going beyond culture and values • Part Four • Are these values particularly Asian in nature? The illusion of ‘Asia exceptionalism’? • Criticisms on “Asian Values” • “Asian Values” – the model of the future or the model in decline? • “Asian Values” – Local VS Global • Conclusion

  12. Part One • Historical Roots • European advance • Origin, Background & Context • The Concept of Occident and Oriental • Development of “Asian Values” Debate • Proponents of “Asian Values”

  13. 8. Ideology of Asia consciousness – Historical Roots • In China, nationalist regime of the 1920s spoke of an Asian spiritual unity, Sun Yat-Sen as the father of a Sino-centric movement • Japanese victory over Russia in1905 an impetus to an Asian unity • Japanese Co-Prosperity Sphere of World War II -- 'ancient glory of the spiritual life of Asian peoples'. • The Bengali religious leader, Vivekananda (1863-1902) --'on the material plane, Europe has mainly been the basis during modern times'; on the 'spiritual plane, Asia has been the basis throughout the history of the world” • The Nobel Prize-winning Indian poet, Rabindranath Tagore –renaissance Asian civilization

  14. 9. European Advance • India, Burma, Malay Peninsula & Northern Borneo – _____ colonies • Philippines – __________ and _________ colonies • Indonesia – __________ colony • East Timor – __________ colony • Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia-_________ colonies • Central Asia – __________ • European colonialism spurred nationalist movements and awareness as a region • The Cold War divided the area into __________and ___________ alliance systems centered on the Soviet Union and United States.

  15. Singapur • Uno del los puertos con mas trafico en el mundo – segundo puerto con más trafico • El Tercer Refinador de petróleo más grande del mundo • Uno de los primeros centros financieros de Asia • Una de las ciudades más cosmopolitas en el mundo • El primero en el ranking mundial de Calidad del Trabajadores en 49 Países – MEJORES TRABAJADORES DEL MUNDO • El segundo en el alinea mundial (segundo después de Estados Unidos) en el informe Global de Competitividad 2000 • La puerta entre el Este y el Oeste

  16. 10. Background & Context • “Asian values” – a long campaign against western colonialism • The idea of `Asian Way' existed in late 1970s, originated in Singapore, moved to international academic debate in the 80s • “Asian Values” – key factor of ‘Asia miracle’ in 80s • In the early 1990s, the concept of “Asian Values” was used by Asian political leaders to ensure social stability

  17. 11. The Concept of the “Occident” & the “Oriental” • The Asian Values advocates stress the existence of a "shared identity" in Asia, and the understanding of "Asia" (Oriental) as a concept opposite to that of "West" or "Occident" • Started in the 19th and early 20th century by European orientalists – Max Weber • In the 1950s, Western social scientists saw Confucianism as a serious obstacle to economic development • ‘Protestant ethics’ as providing a unique source of value motivation in the development of capitalist society in the West. (Max Weber) • West – rationalism, individualism, tolerance, scientific • East – subservience and intolerance of different views, superstitious

  18. 12. Proponents of “Asian Values” • The rise of studies of “Asian values” in the West after the end of colonization and the fast economic growth of the region • The most articulate proponents –‘Singapore School’-- Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew, a retired senior diplomat, Tommy Koh, Kishore Mahbubani • Other prominent advocates are Malaysia ex-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed and his then deputy Anwar Ibrahim

  19. 12. Proponents of “Asian Values” • East Asia `Confucianism emphasis of hard work, thrift, filial piety and national pride have fuelled regional economic growth’. -- China government official Li Xianglu • Asian elements which have supported Japan's economic development `have come to serve as a model for the world' – Senior diplomat Ogura Kazuo • `Asia can present itself as an alternative to the West' and that more people are questioning the Western model of development'- Thai academic Chaiwat Satha-Anand • 'The Asianisation of Asia' -- Japanese intellectual, Yoichi Funabashi

  20. Part Two • The Essence of “Asian Values” • The Assumptions of “Asian Values” • Empirical Studies on “Asian Values” • Why did they clash with the West? • Asian Values and Democracy- Divergent views • Asian Values and Human Rights- Divergent views

  21. 13. The Essence of “Asian Values”

  22. 13. The Essence of “Asian Values”

  23. 14. The Essence of “Asian Values” • Family is the key social organization • Group interests above individual interests • Consensus rather than confrontation in political decision-making • Social cohesion is priority, through moral principles and strong government; • Economic growth is a natural development of social cohesion and strong government • Organic view of society

  24. 15. The Assumptions of “Asian Values” • A set of core civilizational values, common to both the Confucian and non-Sino traditions of East Asia • A questioning of the legitimacy and efficacy of the Western model development's universal application • A conviction on the rise of the “East” and the fall of the “West” • ‘Asian values’ play in a part in shaping the ‘Asian miracles.’

  25. 16. Empirical Studies on “Asian Values” – conceptualization • One of the most authoritative empirical works to date is a ground-breaking study by David Hitchcock (1994)

  26. 16. Empirical Studies on “Asian Values” – conceptualization

  27. 16. Empirical Studies on “Asian Values” – conceptualization

  28. Case Study-BANGKOK DECLARATION The Ministers and representatives of Asian States, meeting at Bangkok from 29 March to 2 April 1993, pursuant to General Assembly resolution 46/116 of 17 December 1991 in the context of preparations for the World Conference on Human rights, Adopt this Declaration, to be known as "The Bangkok Declaration", which contains the aspirations and commitments of the Asian region:

  29. Case Study-BANGKOK DECLARATION 4. Discourageany attempt to use human rights as a conditionality for extending development assistance; 5. Emphasize the principles of respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as non-interference in the internal affairs of States, and the non-use of human rights as an instrument of political pressure;

  30. Case Study-BANGKOK DECLARATION 7. Stress the universality, objectivity and non-selectivity of all human rights and the need to avoid the application of double standards in the implementation of human rights and its politicization, and that no violation of human rights can be justified;

  31. Double Standard Argument Nowhere is the double-standard approach to human rights more glaring than in the West’s evasion of its responsibilities through its inaction in the face of the massive and gravest violations of human rights in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Surely, their apathetic and meek response to genocide, ethnic cleansing and rape, in the heart of Europe, makes a total mockery of theirpreaching and posturing on the promotion and protection of human rights in far corners of the world. We ask ourselves what credentials do they still have to preach about human rights when the most blatantabuse of those rights before their very eyes goes unpunished.-----The Malaysia Minister of Foreign Affairs

  32. Case Study-BANGKOK DECLARATION 18. Recognize that the main obstacles to the realization of the right to development lie at the international macroeconomic level, as reflected in the widening gap between the North and the South, the rich and the poor;19. Affirm that poverty is one of the major obstacles hindering the full enjoyment of human rights;

  33. Priorities Argument The right to development should be given priority overcivil and political rights. Poverty and lack of development are directly attributable to macroeconomic policies that increase “the widening gap between the North and the South, the rich and the poor.”

  34. Priorities Argument The Chinese government, which argued during theVienna Conference that “[w]hen poverty and lack of adequate food and clothing are commonplace and people’s basic needsare not guaranteed, priority should be given to economic development. Otherwise, human rights are completely out ofthe question.”

  35. Case Study-BANGKOK DECLARATION 8. Recognize that while human rights are universal in nature, they must be considered in the context of a dynamic and evolving process of international norm-setting, bearing in mind the significance of national and regional particularities and various historical, cultural and religious backgrounds;

  36. Case Study-BANGKOK DECLARATION 9. Recognize further that States have the primary responsibility for the promotion and protection of human rights through appropriate infrastructure and mechanisms, and also recognize that remedies must be sought and provided primarily through such mechanisms and procedures;

  37. Case Study-BANGKOK DECLARATION call[s] for greater recognition of the immense complexity of the issue of human rights due to the wide diversity in history, culture, value systems, geography and phases of development amongthe nations of the world.”

  38. Context Argument Western over-reaction to [Paragraph 8’s] simple description of reality—that moreover explicitly recognized the ideal of universality led to much of the acrimony that characterized the debate between the West and Asia at the Vienna Conference.” What seemed to be controversial about the position is that it suggests a contradiction; the rights cannot be both viewed as universal and interpreted differently according to one’s culture??

  39. 17. Why did “Asian Values” clash with the West? • The fallacy of the ‘universality of the western model of development’ Mahbubani criticized the Westerners for their inability of `to see that non-Europeans may have reached a stage of development where they can progress without having to repeat Europe's mistakes

  40. 17. Why did “Asian Values” clash with the West? • Convergence with the West yet divergence from the West, modernization but not westernization • From former President Deng Xiaoping to Jiang Zemin till Hu Jintao, they have revived the “spiritual civilization” to promote the “socialist ethical and cultural progress” of the Chinese people • For decades Western commentators considered ‘Asian values’ as the cause of backward development in Asian societies. • Asian values – freed Asians from their low self-esteem, the legacy of years of western colonization

  41. 17. Why did “Asian Values” clash with the West? • The different interpretation of ‘democracy and human rights’ • The West perceives the Asian regimes employ “Asian values” to defend an illiberal form of government. • Asians question why Western countries impose their cultural values and ethnocentric definitions of human rights on Asia

  42. 17. Why did “Asian Values” clash with the West? • “What is clear is that there is a general discontent throughout the region with a purely Western interpretation of human rights.” - Bilahari Kausikan • “There is suspicion arising from Malaysia to Korea to Japan, that the Western media's agenda of human rights and environmental protection......are means to keep Asia from developing further economically.” -- The Seoul Bureau Chief for the Far Eastern Economic Review commented in 1994

  43. 18. “Asian Values” and Democracy –Divergent Views Ref: Yi-Huah Jiang, 2003 • Type I -- Asian values as distinct from the West and Asian countries need not embrace the model of liberal democracy. • 􀂄 " If Singapore became a Western-style, individualistic society, he says, "we'd go down the drain; we would have more drugs, more crime, more single mothers with delinquent children, and a poor economy"—Former Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew (Bell, 1997: 7)

  44. 18. “Asian Values” and Democracy –Divergent Views • Type II - Asian values as distinct from the West but liberal democracy is the universal model for all. • 􀂄 ‘The future of Asian countries depends not only on continuing economic growth but, more importantly, on a strong commitment both to human rights and democracy and to the revitalization of Asian traditional values and cultures. The two sets of values complement each other and are equally important’ (Chan, 1997: 46).

  45. 18. “Asian Values” and Democracy –Divergent Views • Type III – Asian values are more rhetoric than actual, and democracy is a universal value which is not culture-bound. • 􀂄 Therefore, the distinction between East Asian and Western values is false" (Alatas, 1998: 11). • "It makes little sense to ask whether 'Asia' needs democracy, for it is the same as asking whether America or Europe needs democracy" (Ng, 1997: 12).

  46. 18. “Asian Values” and Democracy –Divergent Views • Type IV -- Asian values are more rhetoric than actual and liberal democracy is not the only choice available to mankind. • "Yet even if there are no essentially Asian values, it challenges us to think what we mean by “democracy”. • Different democratic societies may have different view of the relative importance of social order versus individual rights, it follows that alongside liberal democracies there could be non-liberal --or at any rate less liberal -- variants of democracy" (Emmerson, 1995: 96).

  47. Part Three • “Asian Values” and Economic Development • “The ‘myth’ of Asian Economic Miracle • The Asian Financial Crisis: Were “Asian values” the culprit? • The Asian Financial Crisis: Going beyond culture and values

  48. 19. Asian Values and Economic Development FREE MARKET + DEMOCRACY = ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT?

  49. 19. Asian Values and Economic Development • To most Asian leaders, economic and social rights precede over civil and political rights. Economic growth and development are prioritized over individual freedom. • The manifestation of “Asian values” have produced divergent social and economic outcome • China • Japan • Indonesia • India • Burma and North Korea • Singapore and Malaysia

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