Description
Book SynopsisIs Confucianism compatible with democracy? Ongoing debates among political theorists revolve around the question of whether the overarching goal of Confucianism--serving the people''s moral and material well-being--is attainable in modern day politics without broad democratic participation and without relying on a one person, one vote system. One side of the debate--voiced by traditional Confucian meritocrats--argues that only certain people are equipped with the moral character needed to lead and ensure broad public well-being. They emphasize moral virtue over civic virtue and the family over the state as the quintessential public institution. Moreover, they believe that a system of rule headed by meritorious elites can better handle complex modern public affairs than representative democracy. The other side--voiced by Confucian democrats--argues that unless all citizens participate equally in the public sphere, the kind of moral growth Confucianism emphasizes cannot be fully attained
Trade ReviewIs it possible to be committed to both Confucianism and democracy? If not, which should have priority in cases of conflict? Political theorists have heatedly debated these questions over the last few decades. Sungmoon Kim has emerged as one of the most original voices in these debates, and he defends his views with rigor and erudition. * Daniel A. Bell, Shandong University, Perspectives on Politics *
[Democracy After Virtue] takes on the ambitious task of reconstructing pragmatic Confucian democracy, which integrates three components—political participation, the value of democracy, and procedure and substance. * Baogang He, Political Theory *
This book's contributions to questions important to the quest for Confucian democracy make it required reading for those in the field. * Andrew Lambert, CUNY College of Staten Island, Review of Politics *
Sungmoon Kim's new book is the closest thing we have to a fully developed political theory of Confucian democracy. Philosophically sophisticated and sociologically sensitive, it gives a highly distinctive account of what Confucian democracy is in its theoretical basis and normative commitments, how it works in important areas of practice, and why it promises to suit the reality in East Asia better than does either Confucian meritocracy or liberal democracy. Kim's wide-ranging command of democratic theory on the one hand and contemporary political Confucianism on the other makes this book also an excellent overview of the entire field."-Jiwei Ci, The University of Hong Kong
This meticulously argued book will further solidify Sungmoon Kim's reputation as a leading theorist of Confucian democracy. Kim's main goal here is to show what happens to Confucian political theory when one takes democracy deeply seriously. The book's two parts do this both abstractly and then with regard to concrete issues that have either been little-treated in the literature (criminal law) or discussed in ways that Kim shows to be open to new and distinctive approaches (economic equality and international relations)."-Stephen C. Angle, Wesleyan University
With the increased scholarly attention devoted to comparative political theory, this volume serves as a much- needed refinement of Confucian political thought... The first part of the book presents an overview of the author's own interpretation of the most vital version of this stream of political thought, which is described as pragmatic Confucian democracy. Chapters 2 and 3 evaluate the importance of democracy theory to Asian political thought, compare Schumpeter to Dewey, and examine the necessary balance between procedure and values. The second part of the book offers a study of pragmatic Confucian democracy in relation to specific policy concerns, including criminal justice challenges, economics, and humanitarian intervention. * H. L. Cheek Jr., East Georgia State College *
Table of ContentsPreface Introduction: Toward Pragmatic Confucian Democracy PART 1: Democracy Chapter 1: Political Participation Chapter 2: Value of Democracy Chapter 3: Procedure and Substance PART II: Justice Chapter 4: State Coercion and Criminal Punishment Chapter 5: Sufficiency and Equality Chapter 6: Humanitarian Intervention Conclusion: The Future of Confucian Political Theory-A Methodological Suggestion Notes Bibliography Index
