Do Confucian Values Deter Chinese Citizens’ Support for Democracy

Bibliographic Data

ID6212899
AuthorsY Zhai (0000-0002-6903-4319, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, corresponding author)
Year2017
Volume10
Issue2
Pages261-285
Publication date2017-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePolitics and Religion (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1755-0491 • E-ISSN: 1755-0483
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s1755048316000791
OpenAlexW2560559563
LanguageEN
Citations received17
References cited59

The cultural prerequisites of democracy have been receiving considerable attention over the past decades. Confucian values are regarded as incompatible with liberal democracy and are considered to impede democratization. This article explores the effect of Confucian values on the commitment of ordinary Chinese people to democracy. Support for democracy is divided into attachment to democracy and adherence to liberal democratic values. Attachment to democracy indicates explicit support for democracy, while adherence to liberal democratic values reflects implicit support for democracy. This study examines the impacts of Confucian values on each of these areas. The results show that there was no evidence that Confucian values inhibit the Chinese public's support for democracy in a democratic transition, but they are negatively connected to liberal democratic values, which are fundamental to the resilience and consolidation of a fledgling democracy. However, liberal democratic values are prone to increase with the generational shift

Democracy · Democratic consolidation · Democratization · Liberal democracy · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Cultural Differences and Values · Law · Social and Cultural Dynamics · Social Capital and Networks

Tools

Open DOISci-Hub