Changing Values in Asia : Their Impact on Governance and Development

How do values affect a country's politics and economic practices? How are values, economy, governance, and international relations linked? The rapid and remarkable economic strides experienced by countries in the Asia Pacific region during the past several decades, accompanied by changes in political systems, have often been ascribed to a collective value system in Asia. Today, the financial crisis and political turmoil in Asia prompts the question: To what extent are values relevant to the region's current difficulties?This collection of essays by scholars from ten countries in Asia and elsewhere considers these and other questions. Volume editor Han Sun-joo concludes that to the degree they can be delineated and identified, Asian values--often touted as the driving force behind Asia's rapid and remarkable economic strides--at a minimum failed to prevent the financial crisis. Asian values are relevant because, regardless of their functionality or dysfunctionality, the behavior of Asian countries will continue to be guided by such values, at least in their basic formulation if not in their present application.The essays reveal the variations in value systems within Asia and their different sources, such as cultural tradition, political leaders, government, and nongovernmental actors. The analysis of historical and contemporary events through the lens of values probes how a country's values influence its domestic politics, foreign policy, and development. Juxtaposing values, governance, and international relations, the authors present an overview of how these three elements interact and interrelate in the context of their respective countries and the Asia Pacific region as a whole.Han Sun-joo is director of the Ilmin International Relations Institute, Korea University, and former foreign minister of South Korea.