Ian Buruma: Culture is no excuse for China to deny democracy

Ian Buruma says something worthwhile. Of course, it's the same thing that I've been saying for a really long time!

Anyway, the gist of it is: stop saying that Asian culture is incompatible with democracy, and stop using "cultural sensitivity" as an excuse to let repressive Asian regimes get away with tyranny, oppression, and murder.

Here is a quote worth looking at:

. . . culture is often a poor excuse for inhumanity. Slavery, female circumcision or stoning of adulterous women are undoubtedly part of certain cultures, in that they are traditional practices. So is widow burning in India. This is not a good argument, however, for continuing such practices.

Well, now that's not at all politically correct. But that doesn't mean the statement is false. As for the argument from tradition, I am reminded of this lovely and sardonic visual reply.

Also, look at this:

A few decades ago, it was fashionable, especially in Singapore and Malaysia, to talk about 'Asian values'. Obedience to authority, sacrificing self-interest to what governments defined as national interests, accepting curbs on free speech, all these things were claimed to be specifically Asian, part of ancient traditions, something all Asians had in their cultural DNA. In fact, it was a justification of authoritarian politics inherited by the likes of Prime Ministers Mahathir and Lee Kuan Yew from the British empire.

Even as the Asian values were being touted, South Koreans, Taiwanese, Thais, Chinese and Filipinos were demonstrating in huge numbers against their authoritarian rulers. In South Korea, Taiwan and, more fitfully, Thailand and the Philippines, they succeeded. And what was it that the Burmese were risking their lives for recently . . .

One reason why Taiwan is such a tricky problem for the Chinese government is precisely its politics. If Chinese culture demands authoritarian politics, or what Ambassador Wu would call 'Chinese democracy', then what about Taiwan? Are the Taiwanese any less Chinese?

Most of this is fine, though I don't really think the last bit (Taiwanese = Chinese) is really entirely accurate. Remember that old saying that China is a culture masquerading as a state? As for Taiwan, whether you want to believe it or not, there is such a thing as Taiwanese identity.

The point remains, though: statements about Asian culture being antithetical to democracy and the values of a free society can be, at their worst, the tacit condoning of Asian tyrannies -- not to mention deeply offensive to freedom-loving Asians everywhere. Also, do I really have to remind you about Tiananmen Square?