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The Benevolent Polity
Nie, Jing-Bao
Nie, Jing-Bao
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n2015-3-the_bene.pdf
Adobe PDF, 540.31 KB
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"Aging and eldercare constitute a pressing major issue for more and more societies in Asia and the world. In China today, the age-old Chinese tradition of respecting the elderly and taking good care of them faces numerous challenges, challenges typically, but not exclusively, associated with the country’s one-child policy. Eldercare is first and foremost a moral undertaking; without a sound ethical vision, no society, no community can develop adequate levels of care for all its older people. To set out some elements that would make up an ethical foundation for contemporary eldercare, this paper draws on classical Confucian moral and political thought articulated in Mengzi (Mencius), in particular the fundamental concepts of renzheng (benevolent polity or humane governance) and mingui (the importance of the people). The most salient practical feature of a benevolent polity lies in adequate care of the elderly. Contrary to some pervasive popular misconceptions of Confucianism, an authentic Confucian vision of ethical eldercare centres on the government’ or state’s responsibilities to the people including the elderly, the rights and dignity owing to them, and the primacy of morality. To elaborate the practical implications of ancient Confucian thought, a brief Confucian socio-ethical critique of aging and eldercare in China today is also be offered"
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2015
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Creative Commons Copyright (CC 2.5)