Is there still an Asian way?

Abstract

This chapter utilizes data from the latest wave of the Asian Barometer Survey (ABS), applying Tianjian Shi's (2015) theoretical framework to measure the two core dimensions of Asian values: orientation toward authority (OTA) and definition of self-interest (DSI). It finds significant differences in OTA between East Asian countries, and a strong modernization effect, especially from education and age. From this, it is predicted that OTA in East Asian countries will gradually converge with the West. However, on the DSI dimension, cross-national differences are very small, and collectivist tendencies are strong across the region, in contrast to the Western emphasis on individual rights. The chapter describes the development of empirical research on political culture, starting from the pioneering work of Gabriel Almond through to the vigorous development of the field after the 1990s. Prior to Almond, the comparative study of political culture focused on abstract concepts and generalizations without the use of modern social science research for empirical validation.