PACS 10 Chapter 12: “Confucianism, From Above and Below” Michael Barr
30 Mar 2017
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Pacs 10 confucianism, from above and below by barr. Argument: elites emphasize certain aspects of confucianism to justify their power, while non-elites emphasize certain aspects to fight for social change and justice. Confucius called for the revitalization of chinese traditions in order to bring an end to chaos. Confucianism is now dead as a state religion and system of governance, but it continues to act as a religion for ordinary people. A relational, hierarchical, and conservatively ordered view of society where society is regarded as an extension of a patriarchal family. Respect for scholarship and virtue, with an assumption that virtue is derived from scholarship. Three elements of confucianism relevant to international relations: Religion as a direct influence on policy-makers. Religion as an indirect influence on policy-makers because of: The expectations generated by the political and cultural mediums created by the religion. Religion as a tool of legitimization for governments and for those who oppose them.
