As the awareness of being Asian and a critical stance towards the West increase, the influence of the USA on Asia may fade. It has been argued that future conflicts will be primarily rooted in cultural differences, and will thus occur between different civilizations. A civilization in this context is defined as a cultural grouping at the
broadest level with which people can identify - beyond religion, race and nationality. As interactions between different civilizations increase, so does the awareness of differences between cultures.
The question then is: is there a single or several Asian civilizations? Where are the similarities and differences within the region, or between Asia Pacific and the West?
Asia Pacific is home to three of the seven or eight major civilizations: they Confucian, Japanese and Islamic groupings. (Hindu civilization is a separate civiizat dominating the Indian sub-continent.)
The division of Asia between various civilizations may have seri( consequences for any attempts to integrate the region economically and politically. long as Japan considers itself unique, it will not be able to integrate fully and emerg a regional leader. By joining the G7 (the group of the seven most influential econol powers), it has become an associate of the West and set itself apart.
China, on the other hand, could become the new epicentre of the reg through its Confucian roots which naturally connect it to Taiwan and the Overs Chinese in Southeast Asia. Should Confucian thought regain influence in China, it co also find coimnon ground with the Korean and Vietnamese cultures. At this level abstraction, the differences between a Confucian-orientated, but Chinese-i civilization and the Japanese world become arbitrary and give way to commonalit One could then envisage a single Asian civilization solidly underpinning a far-reach regionalization process under Chinese leadership.
Such an East Asian civilization would leave others stranded. India would not the region; nor would Australia. What choices, however, would there be for Christ Filipinos whose culture resembles that of Latin America? And where would counti with several civilizations such as Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand see their destiny?
In Asia itself the present debate emphasizes commonalities rather ti differences. The strongest advocates of Asianization today come from neither China i Japan, but Singapore and Malaysia. Led by Lee Kuan Yew, they depict Asian values superior to those of the West, and often talk of 'Western decadence'. Malaysia's pri minister Mahathir still argues for an East Asian Economic Caucus which would br together only Asian nations. Not surprisingly, Malaysia emphasizes good relationsh with Asian neighbours, even with China, and loses no opportunity to complain lou about supposedly Western interference in its internal affairs.
Asianness is clearly visible in daily life: Asians continue to prefer Asian music Western pop stars; Japanese, Chinese, even Indian soap operas are staple even entertainment across much of Asia. Karaoke bars dot the urban landscape and holid abroad are increasingly taken in neighbouring countries.
Asian values provide a common thread across the region. While for the West inviolability of the individual is dogma, in East Asia the individual exists only in context of family and society. In contrast to the European welfare state, East As societies rely on the mutual support of families. Asians favourably compare their o thriftiness and deferment of present enjoyment for future gain with American-st overspending and indebtedness. Asians, they argue, make every effort to educ themselves; they display a strong work ethic and thrive in a morally healthy, consens orientated environment.
This somewhat idealized picture begs several questions:
Will the so-called Asian values still hold once Singapore or Malaysia reach the same standard of living as Switzerland or Japan?
How much of a morally healthy, consensus-orientated environment does one find in China or Indonesia today?
How much are Asian values truly accepted across Asia's diverse cultures and religions?
If 'Asian values' are equally valid and ingrained among Confucian Chinese, Buddhist Thais, Shintoist Japanese, and Muslims from Indonesia and Malaysia, then what is so special about them? Are they in any way specifically Asian, or are they simply common sense that can be shared by anybody in the world?
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