Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
publishedVersion
Publication Date
7-2007
Abstract
This paper argues for the pragmatic construction of Confucian democracy by showing that Chinese philosophers who wish to see Confucianism flourish again as a positive dimension of Chinese civilization need to approach it pragmatically and democratically, otherwise their love of the past is at the expense of something else Confucius held in equal esteem, love of learning. Chinese philosophers who desire democracy for China would do well to learn from the earlier failures of the iconoclastic Westernizers, and realize that a Chinese democracy cannot come about by ignoring or dismissing such an important part of China's history, its Confucian tradition. The best chances for democracy in China lie in transforming that tradition without destroying it. Eagerness to learn from others must be united with a proper appreciation of one's own past to nurture democracy as a way of life.
Discipline
Arts and Humanities
Research Areas
Humanities
Publication
Asian Philosophy
Volume
17
Issue
2
First Page
141
Last Page
166
ISSN
0955-2367
Identifier
10.1080/09552360701445026
Publisher
Taylor & Francis (Routledge): SSH Titles
Citation
TAN, Sor-hoon.(2007). Confucian democracy as pragmatic experiment: Uniting love of learning and love of antiquity. Asian Philosophy, 17(2), 141-166.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/2541
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1080/09552360701445026