Many Asian leaders have used the term 'Asian Values', for example: Lee Kwan Yew of Singapore, Mahathir Mohamad of Malaysia and also in Indonesia and Brunei, in order to explain the lack of democracy in Asia, this being constitutional liberalism.
If you link this term with Francis Fukuyama's explanation of premature democracy: that 'before there can be a democratic state there must first be a functioning state', it can be seen that countries with high 'Asian values' should not be democratised because they would be premature. In European countries, a culture of dictatorship (monarchy) preceeded democracy, and it was only later, when the state was fully functioning, did it become a democracy.
But is there good reason to believe that the state is not fully functioning there? Why not think instead that the invocation of Asian values by leaders is basically self-serving?
ReplyDeleteThe invocation of Asian values by leaders is self-serving. I am sure that given the choice, citizens of Asian countries would prefer to live under liberal democracy instead of authoritarian rule.
ReplyDeleteWhat does culture have to do with it?
Culture has alot to do with the politics of a country. Culture is the shared beliefs and attitudes to a chosen group of people, not just the desire for education and manners.
ReplyDeleteIn France, the culture of its politics is Liberal. This is historical; emerging in retaliation to the dictatorship that was the French monarchy. The culture of French liberalism is grounded in an unwillingness for any form of authoritarian regime.
In contrast, the culture that is 'Asian values' can also justify the authoritarian regimes found throughout Asia, but could this also be in retaliation to other cultures? Setting aside the irony that it was founded in Germany, Marxism could be prevalent in Asia as retaliation to the decadence that is produced in Liberalism. It could also be that Asian countries adopt polarizing politics in retaliation for centuries of colonisation and imprialistic intervention. Marxism includes themes that would sound appealing to peoples with so called 'Asian values', such as community, equality and wealth for the group as a whole. It could also be that many Asian countries are attempting Communism but are stuck on the step in which the authoritarian dictator steps down, such as Lee Kwan Yew!!
Socialism is also prevalent in many African countries, or at least it was attempted. African peoples share similar beliefs with Socialism and with 'Asian values', such as community and preoduction for the group as a whole. Following decolonisation, many peoples rejected the democracies their white oppressors had set up in their stead, and embraced communism. Other countries, such as Zimbabwe, were given aid and military training for communist countries such as Russia and China to entice the country towards communism. This is also a product of retaliation; the 'east' was attempting to create communist countries that would oppose the 'west'.
That communism may appeal to some does not mean that it "works" in Asian contexts. Same for socialism. Maybe people are mistaken about what "works" for them!
ReplyDeleteAlso, that some people share some beliefs with socialism or communism does not mean that they prefer it to democracy; many people in the West also believe in socialism, but that does not mean they prefer dictatorship or non-democracy.
With regards to Tracy M's comment, I'm afraid I still don't see how culture applies.
ReplyDeleteIf anything, culture is more likely to flourish in a democratic state as long as such a state guarantees civil liberties.