INTRODUCTION: CONFUCIANISM AND DEMOCRATIZATION

Whether or not Confucianism conflicts with democracy is an important question not only for the future democratization of China but also for the future political development of other East Asian countries with a Confucian heritage. If Confucianism is consistent with democracy, the traditional culture may be used as a means of promoting democratization in East Asia. At the very least, the political transition will be smoother and easier, with lower costs, since there will be less cultural resistance. In this essay, it will be argued that Confucianism and democracy are compatible.

The compatibility of Confucianism with democracy may refer to the strong thesis that Confucianism is always supportive of democratization. Here, however, I defend the weaker thesis that Confucianism is not inherently incompatible with democracy. Put positively, it means that Confucianism is capable of embracing the idea of democracy and that it can be developed for this purpose.

There are two ways to validate or invalidate my assumption. One way is through content analysis. Scholars analyze the theoretical tenets of Confucianism and democracy to determine if they are consistent. Those sympathetic to Confucian democracy would define their terms and then try to reveal some elements in Confucianism that can support, or at least be consistent with, some elements of democracy. Although this method seems reasonable, it has provoked endless debates.