A Review on the Relevance of Asian Values as a New Basis for Global Governance

The 21st century may well be marked as the century of Asia. The rise of Asian countries in world politics provides conditions for the possible emergence of an Asian-influenced international system and an Asian perspective on global governance. In this aspect, Asian values would be suggested for the philosophical foundation for Asian-centric version of global governance. However, without examining the core concept of Asian values thoroughly, advocacy of Asian values grounded in de facto crude material powers of Asian countries would not have any chance to make their voice heard rightly. Also, just projection of Asian values as the tool to blame Western countries for greedy imperialism and to suggest a brand new political and philosophical basis for global governance unilaterally does not make a huge contribution to the international society so long as Asian values totally disregard core value system, including human rights, democracy and liberalism prevalent in a global relations. In this regard, any claims concerning Asian values should be tested in terms of both possible merits and demerits for a new basis for global governance. For the purpose of gaining meaningful support from the international society, Asian values should make an attempt to reflect current development of the global society, such as fostering human rights, establishment of democratic governance and laying a sound foundation for economic liberalism. Needless to say, advocacy of Asian values point rightly out that these development of the international society are mainly made by interests of Western countries and that Non-Western countries do have difficulty to adjust themselves to these development. However, as noted above, just suggesting Asian values as the alternative basis for the global governance without correcting Asians values inherent weakness would be understood as another grumbling about well established principles of the global governance. Reexamining the core concept of Asian values, rectifying Asian values" weakness and adapting Asian values to current development of international relations, Asian values ultimately make a huge contribution to international society through correcting international injustices brought by Western values. With a view to expanding the core value of Asian values, it is high time for Asian values to review its merits and demerits as the possible candidate for new political philosophy in the age of Asian century.