How has Confucianism Influenced Economic Growth in East Asia
How has Confucianism influenced modern economic development in East Asia?
The rise of Asia’s so called “Tiger” economies followed by China, has given rise to the spectrum of a distinctly East Asian economic development model. The pioneering economic success of in particular, Singapore, South Korea and Japan since the 1970’s has highlighted the need to evaluate and distinguish how such economies achieved such successive growth. A variety of possible factors can explain or highlight possibilities for the successive development of East Asia. A particularly unique factor that has to be taken into account is Confucianism. The interplay between culture and development can help explain how in particular Japan and South Korea, which were relatively closed societies, have risen to attain the status of newly industrialized countries. This essay will investigate and evaluate, through the presentation of arguments and examples, the extent to which Confucianism has influenced modern economic development in East Asia. This will be achieved by firstly providing a working definition of Confucianism; then locating its positive impact within a broader debate concerning a distinctly Asian development model; investigating and analyzing the challenges presented by Confucianism in the economic development of East Asia; evaluating both the negative and positive implications of Confucianism in East Asian economies and finally assessing to what extent Confucianism has played a role in the development of East Asia’s economies.
Confucianism attained its name from Confucius, who was a scholar, in Eastern China (551-479 BCE) . Confucianism is a system of ethical and philosophical teachings introduced by Confucius and further developed by in particular Mencius (372-289BCE), who was a pupil of Confucius teachings. Traditional Confucianism according to shares a set of basic convictions, which can be understood as: Humans are born with the capacity to develop morality; this moral
The rise of Asia’s so called “Tiger” economies followed by China, has given rise to the spectrum of a distinctly East Asian economic development model. The pioneering economic success of in particular, Singapore, South Korea and Japan since the 1970’s has highlighted the need to evaluate and distinguish how such economies achieved such successive growth. A variety of possible factors can explain or highlight possibilities for the successive development of East Asia. A particularly unique factor that has to be taken into account is Confucianism. The interplay between culture and development can help explain how in particular Japan and South Korea, which were relatively closed societies, have risen to attain the status of newly industrialized countries. This essay will investigate and evaluate, through the presentation of arguments and examples, the extent to which Confucianism has influenced modern economic development in East Asia. This will be achieved by firstly providing a working definition of Confucianism; then locating its positive impact within a broader debate concerning a distinctly Asian development model; investigating and analyzing the challenges presented by Confucianism in the economic development of East Asia; evaluating both the negative and positive implications of Confucianism in East Asian economies and finally assessing to what extent Confucianism has played a role in the development of East Asia’s economies.
Confucianism attained its name from Confucius, who was a scholar, in Eastern China (551-479 BCE) . Confucianism is a system of ethical and philosophical teachings introduced by Confucius and further developed by in particular Mencius (372-289BCE), who was a pupil of Confucius teachings. Traditional Confucianism according to shares a set of basic convictions, which can be understood as: Humans are born with the capacity to develop morality; this moral
Cited: Barr, M. D. (2010). Confucianism From Above and Below. In J. Haynes, Routledge Handbook of Religion and Politics (pp. 64-78). New York, NY, USA: Routledge. Bell, D. A. (2010). Reconciling Socialism and Confucianism?: Reviving Tradition in China. Dissent , 57 (1), 91-99. Borowik, I. (2006). Orthodoxy Confronting the Collapse of Communism in Post-Soviet Countries. Social Compass , 53 (2), 267-278. Frederickson, G. H. (2002). Confucius and the Moral Basis of Bureaucracy. Administration & Society , 33 (6), 610-628. Goldin, P. R. (2010). Confucianism. Durham, GBR: Acumen. Hane, M. (1969). Early Meiji Liberalism. An Assessment. Monumenta Nipponica , 24 (4), 353-372. Ikeo, A. (1997). Economic Development in Twentieth Century East Asia : The International Context. Florence, KY, USA: Routledge. Rozman, G. (2002). Can Confucianism Survive in an Age of Universalism and Globalization? Pacific Affairs , 75, 11-37. Tucker, M. E. (2010). Confucianism. (W. J. Bauman, Ed.) The Spirit of Sustainability , 1, 75-78. Weber, M. (1951). The Religion of China: Confucianism and Toaism. (H. H. Gerth, Trans.) New York, NY, USA: Macmillan. Wildman, K. N. (1980). The Naturalization of Confucianism in Tokugawa Japan: The Problem of Sinocentrism. Harvard Journal of Asian Studies , 40 (1), 157-199.