Individualism versus collectivism

Journalist David Brooks describes in the International Herald Tribune the difference between Western individualism and Asian collectivism: "You can create a global continuum with the most individualistic societies - like the United States or Britain - on one end, and the most collectivist societies - like China or Japan - on the other. ... Individualistic societies have tended to do better economically. We in the West have a narrative that involves the development of individual reason and conscience during the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, and then the subsequent flourishing of capitalism. According to this narrative, societies get more individualistic as they develop. ... But what happens if collectivist societies snap out of their economic stagnation? What happens if collectivist societies, especially those in Asia, rise economically and come to rival the West? A new sort of global conversation develops. ... The opening ceremony in Beijing was a statement in that conversation. It was part of China's assertion that development doesn't come only through Western, liberal means, but also through Eastern and collective ones. ... The rise of China isn't only an economic event. It's a cultural one. The ideal of a harmonious collective may turn out to be as attractive as the ideal of the American Dream. ... It's certainly a useful ideology for aspiring autocrats."

» full article (external link, English)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Philosophy, » Weltanschauung, » Asia, » Europe, » U.S., » Global