Posted by JM:

SPEAKER CHALLENGES IDEAS OF ASIAN VALUES

By Leslie Nurse
Contributing Reporter
The Yale Daily News
September 28, 1995 (Note date)

While some Americans may believe that the terms "political freedom,"   "civil liberties" and "democracy" are purely Western ideals, Amartya Sen has a different perspective.

The Harvard University economics professor spoke to an audience of nearly 150 people at the Law School last night, debunking the attitude that political freedom is an exclusively Western value that Asian societies have yet to espouse.

"It is quite ironic that in places [in the West] where freedom and democracy have been valued, they have also been seriously violated,"  Sen said.

Posing the question "Do Asian values include political freedom?," Sen challenged the centuries-old stereotype of perpetual political oppression in Asia and Asian peoples' acceptance of this oppression.

Sen said he feels the presence of a culture clash between Eastern and Western societies now more than ever.  "What makes sense in the East does not necessarily have to make sense in the West, does it?" Sen asked.

The superiority complex of the West, and particularly of America has manifested itself in phrases like "Western democracy" and "Western liberalism," which imply that these ideals are expressly Western, Sen added.

The audience listened fastidiously as Sen went on to assert the fact "that contemporary Asians do not value freedom ... has little foundation in the truth." Sen also showed concern with the labeling of particular values as "Asian". "Exactly what are 'Asian values'?" he asked, explaining that the diversity of the Asian continent complicates this question.

In his speech, Sen, who himself was born and raised in Calcutta, India, made references to the Asian countries of Singapore, China, Japan, and India and to the religions of Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Confucianism.

In the face of such diversity, Sen described three possible ways of defining "Asian values": in historical terms, in contemporary terms or in whatever terms that Asians themselves would prefer, if given the freedom to decide.

Sen concluded his presentation by saying there is "nothing to indicate that Asian values are against individual freedoms nor would [Asian] individuals think differently if given the chance."
While many of Sen's views were eloquently stated, one audience member said he found the professor to be somewhat "defensive of his culture."

Another audience member challenged Sen's argument that Asian people would not do things differently if given the opportunity. The student cited the recent elections in Singapore, where people voted against a stringent policy which had been imposed upon them for years.  

Sen, a graduate of Trinity College in England and a former economics professor at Oxford University, is considered one of the leading economic philosophers of the 20th century.