Confucianism and Nation Building in Singapore

Abstract

The outstanding economic growth of several East Asian countries has attracted world attention. Many observers have attributed the success of these Confucian countries to their common cultural values, such as respect for authority, loyalty to good leaders, preference for order, hard work, thrift and emphasis on education. The above factors seem to have worked in Singapore, although some researchers have observed that economic success and rapid changes have eroded these traditional values. In Singapore, the political leaders have now cautioned Singaporeans against assimilating alien values and becoming a pseudo‐Western society. They have called for a set of national principles based on Asian values to guide Singaporeans into the next century.

Citation

Chwee Huat, T. (1989), "Confucianism and Nation Building in Singapore", International Journal of Social Economics, Vol. 16 No. 8, pp. 5-16. https://doi.org/10.1108/03068298910133106