Asian Culture and History
January, 2010
favorable to the adoption of conditions that were originally foreign to a society. Thus, Confucianism could be considered a cultural factor that would have facilitated the arrival of Western capitalism in South Korea and been converted into a vehicle for economic development. In our analysis, we will approach this problem through the lens of public administration. The question that we propose is whether or not Confucianism is in itself a cultural framework for understanding public administration, and if so how it has influenced the development of public administration in South Korea. In order to answer these questions, we will first review some concepts of government that can be derived from Confucianism. 3. The Confucian Art of Governance According to Hsu (1975), Confucius proposes six arts of governance: rectification, Chung Yung or the Doctrine of the Mean, rule by virtue, public instruction, fostering national wealth and the consideration of public opinion. In Confucian doctrine, rectification is the clear and express establishment of the moral guidelines of a society. In other words, rectification consists of the social norms that determine right and wrong, namely the standard. This standard serves to guide the reasoning and judgments used in order to achieve collective goals and as a means of social control (Hsu, 1975). Confucius believed that governance necessitates rectification because government is the institution responsible for establishing the standards that guide actions intended to benefit a nation. Thus, when government performs its function correctly, it wins the support of the people. As such, rectification requires that every person act in accordance with his or her function and position within the government, so as to establish responsibility. This idea also allows for the establishment of standards of procedure in each sphere, since going beyond the limits of one’s functions would be considered usurping. Clearly, this principle contributes to the maintenance of hierarchy and social order. Chung Yung, or the Doctrine of the Mean, stems from the claim that society is composed of different individuals and groups with different preferences and perceptions. In order to achieve the social harmony that Confucian doctrine entails, it is essential to maintain equilibrium between these groups and individuals. This equilibrium is never static, which is why government involvement is necessary. According to Hsu (1975), practicing the Doctrine of the Mean involves the following principles: first, the masses must be governed according to their nature and all that it entails; second, the governor and the governed must have mutual trust and sympathy; third, the government must maintain consistency between words and actions; fourth, the governor must act appropriately and in accordance with the situation at hand; fifth, the government must have an appropriate knowledge of and respect for religious duties and filial piety; and last, love is the foundation of civilization and all people fall under its power. According to Confucius, the behavior of the nation depends on the intellectual capacities of the people. The most effective way to develop the mind is moral discipline, which at the same time appeals to the goodness in human nature and leads to crime prevention. Moral discipline allows for the people to exercise self control by virtue. On the other hand, a rule by law implies prevention via sanction. From the Confucian point of view, this latter type of rule is essentially reactionary, and it only confronts the symptoms and the not core of the problem. Also, rule by law implies a coercive method of enforcement of government policies, whereas rule by virtue implies achieving a spiritual and ideological understanding with the people and thus earning the people’s loyalty. Confucius believed that government by virtue would function because people are essentially benevolent; as such, the people would choose virtuous governments and reject immoral governments. On the other hand, the instruction of the people, understood as education, is the result of the rule of virtue. A rule by virtue must consider the education of the people as its main activity. Confucianism also understands education as a moral discipline. On the matter of wealth, Confucianism contends that government must simultaneously regulate and promote economic development. As a regulator, government must create conditions that improve the economic situation of the nation. Government must control the nation’s economic resources (natural resources and endogenous materials) in order to distribute them in an equitable manner among the people. Equality and just distribution of national wealth are key elements in the socioeconomic policy of a Confucian society. What is more, the idea of a just and egalitarian distribution of wealth leads to the regulation of competition, or in terms of contemporary economics, the intervention of the government in the market. As a promoter of economic development, the role of a Confucian government is to construct and maintain infrastructure (road, bridges, telecommunications, water works, etc.) and organize the production of various capital goods. In other words, the government is responsible for instructing the people in how to produce new goods. The last art of governance proposes the principle of considering public opinion. Confucius believed that public opinion is a manifestation of the wishes of the people. In this sense, public opinion provides feedback to the government and allows for the creation, implementation or betterment of public policy and its realization. In all, Confucianism gives birth to a cultural framework for public administration. A Confucian government is a benevolent, united and paternalistic authority that concentrates power in a hierarchy headed by the emperor, and 73