Asian & Western Values

Yuen Pau Woo

Yuen Pau Woo was born in Malaysia, grew up in Singapore, and has lived in the United States, Britain, and Canada. He has spent as much of his life in the West as he has in Asia, and as such, the debate about Asian and Western values is very important to him.

The nub of the Asian values debate is usually about whether or not these values explain the remarkable economic growth that has taken place in many Asian countries. By implication, the debate is also about whether or not these values can replicated in the West and elsewhere.

Yuen Pau argues that the values historically ascribed to Asians can also be found in Western societies. Not so long ago, sociologists were arguing that Asian (i.e. Confucian) values were a major inhibiting factor for economic development.

"I don't think Asians have a monopoly on these values or that there is something deep-rooted in their culture that motivates it," he said.

Yuen Pau explains that some of the "values" ascribed to Asians have been the results of deliberate policies. For example in Singapore, the government put in place a compulsory savings programme that accounts for the very high savings rate. Similar programmes exist in other parts of Asia.

"This kind of pro-growth policy can be adopted by other governments, Asian or otherwise. However, I recognize that it takes a certain amount of political courage to put this kind of tough policy into place."

He noted that we cannot assume that there is one set of Asian values that fits all Asian countries. A Malaysian is quite different from a Korean and from a Filipino. He also points out that he same can be said about Western values.

"Young people in Canada who are interested in working in Asia and in being involved in the Pacific century will encounter values that may clash with their upbringing and with their instinct," he said. "They have to prepare themselves to understand and to respond to these differences in constructive ways."

This is not an academic debate about whether or not Asian and Western values are intrinsically different, but is about how to make multicultural societies (which the Pacific Rim is increasingly shaping up to be) can work.

If Yuen Pau has one key message regarding the Asian and Western values debate, it is to m ove away from it.

"Let's have the debate, let's understand what the messages are and then let's move to a more sophisticated level of dialogue and exchange"