Beyond Liberal Democracy

by Bell, Daniel A.

• ISBN13: 9780691123073
• ISBN10: 0691123071
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-07-31
• Publisher: Princeton Univ Pr

Summary

Is liberal democracy appropriate for East Asia? In this provocative book, Daniel Bell argues for morally legitimate alternatives to Western-style liberal democracy in the region.Beyond Liberal Democracy, which continues the author's influential earlier work, is divided into three parts that correspond to the three main hallmarks of liberal democracy--human rights, democracy, and capitalism. These features have been modified substantially during their transmission to East Asian societies that have been shaped by nonliberal practices and values. Bell points to the dangers of implementing Western-style models and proposes alternative justifications and practices that may be more appropriate for East Asian societies. If human rights, democracy, and capitalism are to take root and produce beneficial outcomes in East Asia, Bell argues, they must be adjusted to contemporary East Asian political and economic realities and to the values of nonliberal East Asian political traditions such as Confucianism and Legalism. Local knowledge is therefore essential for realistic and morally informed contributions to debates on political reform in the region, as well as for mutual learning and enrichment of political theories. Beyond Liberal Democracyis indispensable reading for students and scholars of political theory, Asian studies, and human rights, as well as anyone concerned about China's political and economic future and how Western governments and organizations should engage with China.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xi
Introduction: One Size Doesn't Fit All	1	(22)
The Uniquely Parochial Development of Liberal Democracy	4	(5)
Human Rights for an East Asian Context	9	(2)
Democracy for an East Asian Context	11	(3)
Capitalism for an East Asian Context	14	(3)
A Note on the Culturally Sensitive Approach to Political Theorizing	17	(6)
Part One Human Rights for an East Asian Context
Just War and Confucianism: Implications for the Contemporary World	23	(29)
The Ideal World versus the Nonideal World	24	(7)
General Confucian Principles of Good Government	31	(4)
Mencius on Just and Unjust War	35	(5)
Implications for Contemporary Societies	40	(12)
Human Rights and ``Values in Asia'': Reflections on East-West Dialogues	52	(32)
Trade-offs and Priorities	55	(7)
Asian Justifications for Human Rights	62	(10)
Values in Asia versus Western Liberalism: Justifiable Moral Differences?	72	(6)
Cross-Cultural Dialogues on Human Rights: What Is the Point?	78	(6)
The Ethical Challenges of International Human Rights NGOs: Reflections on Dialogues between Practitioners and Theorists	84	(37)
The Challenge of Cultural Conflict	87	(5)
The Challenge of Dealing with Global Poverty	92	(11)
The Challenge of Dealing with States That Restrict the Activities of INGOs	103	(4)
The Challenge of Fund-Raising	107	(4)
Implications for INGOs in East Asia	111	(10)
Part Two Democracy for an East Asian Context
What's Wrong with Active Citizenship? A Comparison of Physical Education in Ancient Greece and Ancient China	121	(31)
Two Ancient Civilizations	123	(9)
Why Compare State-Sponsored Physical Education in the Two Ancient Civilizations?	132	(2)
Political Competition and Sports Competition	134	(9)
Commercial Societies, Leisure Time, and the Pursuit of Physical Excellence	143	(3)
Implications for Contemporary East Asian Societies	146	(6)
Taking Elitism Seriously: Democracy with Confucian Characteristics	152	(28)
Political Elitism and Democracy: Two Important Values	153	(9)
Institutionalizing Confucian Democracy	162	(18)
Is Democracy the ``Least Bad'' System for Minority Groups?	180	(26)
Some Definitions	185	(5)
Democracy and Nation Building	190	(12)
Implications for Outside Prodemocracy Forces	202	(4)
Democratic Education in a Multicultural Context Lessons from Singapore	206	(25)
Singapore's Political History	207	(4)
Racism in the Classroom?	211	(4)
Inclusive Multiculturalism	215	(3)
Beyond Singapore?	218	(13)
Part Three Capitalism for an East Asian Context
Culture and Egalitarian Development: Confucian Constraints on Property Rights	231	(24)
On the Selection of Feasible and Desirable Confucian Values for Modern Societies	234	(3)
The Overriding Value of Material Welfare	237	(6)
The Value of Care for Needy Family Members	243	(8)
Exporting Confucianism?	251	(4)
East Asian Capitalism for an Age of Globalization	255	(26)
East Asian Capitalism and Economic Productivity	259	(12)
East Asian Capitalism and Social Welfare	271	(7)
Implications for Public Policy	278	(3)
Justice for Migrant Workers? The Case of Migrant Domestic Workers in East Asia	281	(42)
The Political Concerns of Foreign Domestic Workers in Hong Kong and Singapore	283	(7)
Should Foreign Domestic Workers Be Given Equal Rights?	290	(15)
The Role of Culture	305	(8)
Migrant Domestic Workers in Mainland China	313	(10)
Responses to Critics: The Real and the Ideal	323	(20)
Selected Bibliography	343	(26)
Index	369