Confucian Capitalism: Discourse, Practice and the Myth of Chinese Enterprise

by Yao; Souchou

• ISBN13: 9780700715831
• ISBN10: 0700715835
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-11-27
• Publisher: RoutledgeCurzon

Summary

The discourse of Confucian Capitalism has been crucial in shaping our understanding of the brilliant economic successes of the Chinese diaspora all over the world. From this perspective, hard work, family values, and communal cohesion, as well as business practices based on sentiment, trust, and social networks, are the legendary means of explaining the wealth and commercial talent of these remarkable people. The book examines the subject of Chinese business' by exposing the enduring myth about the determining effects of these values and practices supposedly derived from Confucianism. Such myth relies on an ahistorical and essentialised notion of Chinese Culture', and brings into focus three sites of controversy: the economically driven Chinese subject, work-place relations characterised by consensus and cultural sharing, and an operating ethos of collectivist, pre-capitalist sociality. L In its interrogation of the discourse of Confucian capitalism, it is the aim of this book to arrive at a criticallyinformed and socially realistic understanding of Chinese business. The author combines abstract analysis with examples from anthropological fieldwork among Chinese traders in Sarawak, East Malaysia. By anchoring theoretical discussion to real case studies, the multi- disciplinary approach of this book offers a useful insight into Chinese business activities, and contributes to current debates in cultural studies, economic anthropology, the economic performance of overseas Chinese, and neo-Confucian societies more generally.

Author Biography

Souchou Yao is Senior Lecturer at the Department of Anthropology, the University of Sydney, Australia.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Confucian capitalism: discourse, practice, longing	1	(20)
The immigrant enterprise syndrome and the capitalist myth	21	(20)
With the Chinese traders in Belaga: the romance of business endeavour and the narrative of virtue	41	(19)
Cheng Jia: economics, sexuality and marital choice	60	(22)
Kan dian: power, work relations and the invention of the family	82	(19)
Guanxi as cultural model: social pleasure, material gain and the trading of words	101	(20)
Xingyong: trust, faith and the failure of status	121	(20)
Chinese business networks and the penalty of culture	141	(21)
Epilogue: power of myth and practical vision	162	(7)
Notes	169	(6)
Bibliography	175	(9)
Index	184