LA217-Modern and Asian Political Thought

LESSON 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE

POLITICAL THOUGHT OF ASIA
OBJECTIVE:
1. To comprehend the basic approach, methods, and
philosophies of Asian countries.
2. To define the identity of “Asian” political thought.
3. Identify the uses and dangers of Asian political thought.
 Political theory is rich in Asia. The West has just not
recognized it. An encounter with this political thought
permits us to comparatively examine the development
and definitions of such core western concepts as
democracy, freedom, and equality.
 3 WAVES OF ASIAN CONCEPTS
1. Classical Asia
2. Colonial Asia
3. Modern Asia
 3 WAVES OF ASIAN CONCEPTS

1.Classical Asia
• Religion stayed on top, fusing society and politics to the sanctity, sanctions, and
political protection of the gods.
• Hinduism as the oldest, gentler Lutheran alike Buddhism, and the Chinese
Confucianism
• Hinduism in Theravada Buddhism from Sri Lanka ( Ceylon ). There was the
Kingdom of Ten Thousand Elephants in Laos, Borobuddur and Bali in Indonesia,
the Khmer Empire in Cambodia, and the Islam in Malay Asia.
• Mencius politicized the role of the Emperor by entrusting him with the Mandate of
Heaven; but, in tying this mandate to reciprocity, he also gave the people the right of
revolution.
• the Yamato clan proclaimed themselves to be gods. In their success, they have
provided Japan with the longest single line of kings in world history
 3 WAVES OF ASIAN CONCEPTS

2. Colonial Asia
• The conquests of Western imperialism shattered all Asian Classical thought.
Most of Asia was directly colonized.
• The India as crown Jewel of British Empire
• The British Viceroy, Lord Thomas Macaulay, was partially successful in creating "a class of
persons.
• The Qing Dynasty, China 's last
• Western education replaced classical texts for imperial civil service examinations.
Principles of constitutional democracy and parliamentary elections were introduced, as
were modern railroads and military academies.

• Unification of Las Islas de Filipinas

• Western imposition and superiority required deep soul‐searching among Asians.
 3 WAVES OF ASIAN CONCEPTS

2. Modern Asia
• After World War II, all of Asia wanted to regain what they saw as their lost
importance in the world.
• World War II brought disaster to Europe . Even in victory, the power of Britain
and France collapsed; and, with it, their empires unraveled.
• Pathway to independence and Modernization
• Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India - August 15, 1947 - ‘Colonialism, he
argued, had drained the wealth and energies of Asia , and now it would just flow back.’
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrEkYscgbqE&t=26s
• Sun Yat‐sen and the Goumindangs’ san min chuyi (three people's principles) of people's
livelihood, people's rule, and people's nationalism.
• Mao Zhe Dong - form of government came straight from Lenin
• Deng Xiao Ping, the architect of China 's unprecedented current economic growth - Who
cares if a cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice?
 3 WAVES OF ASIAN CONCEPTS

2. Modern Asia
• truly novel definition of modernity in Asia came from Japan - Yoshida Doctrine –
Article IX of Japanese Constitution - Outlawed war as an instrument of foreign
policy and forbade the country to have anything but a minimal "Self‐Defense
Force� as a military institution
• Southeast Asia - accompanied by outbursts of indigenous violence - In these
struggles, each country sought to define its own modern national identity in the
attempts to fashion integrative polities that could overcome the separatist
groups and ideologies fueling the insurgencies
 DEMOCRACY, FREEDOM, AND EQUALITY IN
ASIA
Democracy in Asia , were focused on creating order and preserving social hierarchy
though all Asian political systems did recognize that statecraft and political authority
were best served by reciprocity and the legitimating of their actions in ways that
earned public approval and support. There are contextual grounds, then, for
democracy in Asia , but not on the same egalitarian foundations as in the West.
1. freedom is more of a group concept than an individual one.
- Mahatma Gandhi, for individuals this meant more communal responsibilities to autonomous little
communities (ashrams), not individual human rights.
2. Freedom is a multi‐layered obligations
- Daoist Knights‐errant and Hindu Kshatriya warriors had the freedom of the battlefield and of
strategy
3. The fullest expression of freedom in Asia is religious - did not lie in politics.
- in India , the householder (the responsible citizen in Western parlance) could honorably flee to the
forests, after discharging his many social and political duties, and seek moksha, the release that
comes from enlightenment.
 CONCLUSION

At root, while there is nothing in Asian experience or culture to

preclude democracy itself, what may require a different definition in
Asia is the fundamental difference between Asia and the West over
the balance between the individual and the family. In all Asian
countries, family and its ties to the state and its loyalties come before
the freedom to chart individual destinies. In the West, on the other
hand, individuals are encouraged to cut loose from family ties to freely
chart their individual lives with no inequalities in status both within the
family and in the larger society (at least in theory).
 THANK YOU AND ARRIBA!

FOR THE REFERENCES SEE THE UPLOADED READING MATERIALS.

 WRITTEN ASSESSMENT #1
RATIONALE:
(GROUP ACTIVITY)
The only point of this brief concluding discussion of these three core concepts is that
heretofore political thought has developed almost exclusively around Western political
experience. The cultural settings of such seemingly universal terms like democracy,
freedom, and equality achieve richer meaning and nuance when analyzed comparatively
through their evolution in other cultures, like those in Asia. With this activity the students
will deepen their understanding to the different political philosophies in Asia.
GENERAL INTRUCTIONS:
WATCH THE VIDEO IN THE LINK BELOW AND ANSWER THE FOLLOWING
QUESTIONS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhNF_EbRgHo

1. WHAT IS THE DEFINITON OF EASTERN POLITICAL PHILOSPHIES?

2. HOW DOES CHINESE POLITICAL PHILOSPHIES AFFECT THE WHOLE ASIAN
CONTINETAL POLITICAL THOUGHT/S IN GENERAL?
3. DISCUSS AT LEAST 5 EFFECTS OF RELIGION TO ASIAN POLITICAL
PHILOSPHIES.
 WRITTEN ASSESSMENT #1
(GROUP ACTIVITY)
RATIONALE:
The only point of this brief concluding discussion of these three core concepts is that
heretofore political thought has developed almost exclusively around Western political
experience. The cultural settings of such seemingly universal terms like democracy,
freedom, and equality achieve richer meaning and nuance when analyzed comparatively
through their evolution in other cultures, like those in Asia. With this activity the students
will deepen their understanding to the different political philosophies in Asia.

SPECIFIC INTRUCTIONS:

- Max of 5 pages and Min of 3 pages (Excluded the cover page and reference page)
- Arial, 12, single spaced, pdf
- No plagiarism
 OBE RELATED ACTIVITY#1
(GROUP ACTIVITY)
RATIONALE: In connection to the discussion make an Info-graphic highlighting the
contribution of China (Confucianism), Japan (Indigenous Shito belief), India (Hindu and
Buddhist political belief), and Southeast Asian countries (Islamic and Pagan political
ideologies) to the development of Asian Political Thought in general. In your Info-graphic,
you must analyze and explain the differences and similarities of the mentioned countries
using historical and analytical methodologies,

SPECIFIC INTRUCTIONS:

- The infographics must use creative images and less wordings.

- Make one infographics in each countries (4 infographics all in all)
- The Infographics must be in High-Definition form (HD) – 1080p
- 8 x 11.5 in sized and jpeg
RUBRICS: