Asian values and human rights

1
Asian values and human rights

• Human rights 1 Week 5
• Dr. Sirkku K. Hellsten
• Centre for the Study of Global Ethics

2
Non-Western approaches to human rights

• The discussion of non-Western concepts of human
  rights are in the background of questions of
• A) Universality of values and human rights
  standards
• B) The distinction between the three generations
  of rights 1st civil and political embedded in
  Western individualism 2nd social and economic
  linked to socialist movements 3rd cultural and
  collective rights anchored in the experiences
  and sponsored by non-western and indigenous
  peoples movements

3
General problems of UDHR

• Effective instruments of neo-colonialism
• Lack of transparency in respect of the social
  impact of human rights in Western countries
• HR are Western-centric (Eurocentric)
• Focus on privilege political and civil rights
• Individual rights are excessively
  individualistic, based on individualistic
  culture and in opposition to cultural, communal
  family and spiritual values

4
Culture, values and human rights

• Should human rights be culturally reconstructed?
• Should HRs be implemented universally or
  conceived and practiced contextually?
• Should certain rights be privileged over other
  depending on the cultural context?
• Plus Cultural engagement in HRs debates
  encourages different cultures to justify HRs in
  their own terms and perspectives
• Secular and Religious perspectives
• Cultural vs. regional human rights arrangements

5
Asian values and human rights

• Authoritarianism/collectivism vs.
  liberalism/individualism
• Traditional Asian values have played a crucial
  role in the economic success of this region over
  the last few decades
• Lee Kwan Yew political authoritarianism may be
  helpful in economic growth
• Amartya Sen a) vague evidence on economic
  benefits a) what are Asian values and where
  East Asia, Central Asia, India, China, Japan,
  etc.
• Cultural vs. religious values?

6
Confucian reconstruction of Human Rights

• Difference between Confucian and rationalist
  philosophy
• Western liberal theorizing privileges the
  unencumbered individual, Confucian approach
  emphasizes family and community
• Western principles are abstract, Confucian
  approach pay attention to concrete social roles
  and attitudes to life philosophy of life
• Humans socially embedded not autonomous
  individuals

7
Four popular rejections of HRs based on
Confucian philosophy

• Western HRs promotes a concept of asocial and
  isolated individuals de-socializing concept
• Emphasis on social collectives is antithetical to
  individual rights social responsibility prior to
  rights
• Hierarchy and paternalism are at odds with the
  idea of moral autonomy and equality of
  individuals
• The non-litigious nature of social interaction
  does not encourage self-interest and profit-mx.
  that Western rights are protecting

8
Summary of the Confucian perspective of HRs

• There are HRs that protect important interests in
  humanity but based on different value systems
• HRs are a fall back apparatus rights are
  important when virtues fail or personal
  relationships break down
• HR should not be inflated not constitutive of
  valuable social relationships and should not
  offer protection of debased acts
• Rights instruments should be the last rather
  than first - means to resolve conflicts

9
Buddhism and HRs

• No-soul anatman denies the idea of autonomy,
  continuit, and authenticity of self no essence
  that constitutes human being
• No denial of self as person, but as
  self-centreness
• Liberation from egoism, to serve others
• To realize interconnectness of all beings,
  sentient and insentient moral duty and virtue
• Actual participation in relief work and charity

10
False dichotomy?

• These views presented in stark contrast
  mutually exclusive really?
• Historically individualism only
  post-Enlightenment
• Pre-Enlightenment similar elements/concerns can
  be found in Western/Eastern philosophy
• Demarcating cultures
• Similar criticisms of individualism human
  rights in Western philosophy
• For example Virtue Ethics Murdoch, Taylor and
  MacIntyre

11
False dichotomy?

• These views presented in stark contrast
  mutually exclusive really?
• Historically individualism only
  post-Enlightenment
• Pre-Enlightenment similar elements/concerns can
  be found in Western/Eastern philosophy
• Demarcating cultures
• Similar criticisms of individualism human
  rights in Western philosophy
• For example Virtue Ethics Murdoch, Taylor and
  MacIntyre

12
Bridging the gap

• Asian countries have adopted many human rights
  documents
• Not incomprehensible
• Fear of colonialism and imposition in itself
  denies cultural relativism
• BUT does the Asian critique of human rights have
  some validity ( perhaps for everyone)?

13
False dichotomy?

• Are these views really presented in stark
  contrast mutually exclusive?
• Historically individualism in the West also only
  post-Enlightenment
• Pre-Enlightenment similar elements/concerns can
  be found in Western/Eastern philosophy
• Demarcating cultures
• Similar criticisms of individualism human
  rights within Western philosophy for example
  Virtue Ethics Taylor and MacIntyre

14
Bridging the gap

• Asian countries have adopted many human rights
  documents
• Not incomprehensible
• Fear of colonialism and imposition in itself
  denies cultural relativism
• BUT does the Asian critique of human rights have
  some validity ( perhaps for everyone)?

15
What do you think of the Asian critique?

• Are rights
• Western practices
• Impositions
• Moral neo-colonialism
• Individual
• Biased to one cultural framework
• Do we need a broader conception?