From today's China Daily:
The richest on the Chinese mainland are getting richer: there are 10 billionaires this year in Forbes magazine's annual ranking of the nation's wealthiest people compared with three last year.
From the first book of Mencius (Legge's translation):
'Let your Majesty also say, "Benevolence and righteousness, and let these be your only themes." Why must you use that word -- "profit?".
So.... tell me again how China is a "Confucian" society? A "socialist" one?
It's Confucian because loyalty to the party is a paramount virtue. Loyalty to any other group that might conflict with this primary loyalty is punishable by law. Very Confucian, wouldn't you say?
Posted by: Matt Waters | November 04, 2005 at 11:27 AM
Perhaps. But by that definition Bush's Republican Party sounds pretty darn Confucian, too.
Posted by: Sam | November 04, 2005 at 11:44 AM
Right, except they're not Chinese.
I didn't mean to say that loyalty is something unique to Confucianism. It is pretty much THE central principle that makes it work as a way to govern people, though.
It shouldn't be surprising that the logic of powerful rulers is similar the world over. Bush Republicans have lots in common with Chinese Communists. You might say that the Bush clan is America's wannabe Mandarinate.
Posted by: Matt Waters | November 04, 2005 at 01:07 PM