Knowra Asian values Asian values Asian values is a political and cultural outlook that emphasizes social harmony, community, family obligations, and authority, often in contrast with Western liberal individualism.
Lee Kuan Yew : Singapore's prime minister from 1959 to 1990, known for its rapid development and tightly governed political system. He gave influential public arguments linking Asian cultural norms with Singapore's political order.
Liberalism : A political tradition that protects individual liberty and limits the power of government. Its emphasis on personal rights and political pluralism contrasts with communitarian arguments for social order.
Confucianism : A Chinese ethical and philosophical tradition centered on cultivated virtue, ritual, education, and social relationships. Its teachings on role-based duties and social order are often invoked to explain Asian values.
Authoritarianism : A form of government that concentrates power and restricts political competition and civil liberties. Critics argue that Asian-values rhetoric can legitimize concentrated authority and limits on dissent.
Mahathir Mohamad : Malaysia's prime minister from 1981 to 2003 and from 2018 to 2020, associated with modernization and Asian political identity. He promoted Asian cultural distinctiveness in debates over Western political influence.
Individualism : An outlook that gives priority to individual autonomy, interests, and responsibility. It represents the emphasis on personal choice often contrasted with Asian values' communal obligations.
Filial piety : The duty to respect, care for, and honor one's parents and ancestors, especially in Confucian traditions. It makes family obligation a concrete example of the outlook's communal ethic.
Asian democracy : Democratic systems in Asian societies, shaped by varied histories, institutions, and political movements. Its diversity challenges claims that Asian culture rules out democratic government.
Singapore : A sovereign city-state in Southeast Asia that became a major financial and manufacturing center after independence in 1965. Its leaders made Asian values a prominent justification for national development and political governance.
Communitarianism : A political philosophy that understands people as members of communities whose shared practices shape identity and obligation. Its account of social duties helps explain the outlook's emphasis on community and belonging.
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