The Trouble with Confucianism

"De Bary explains the puzzling role and ambiguous character of Confucianism as a liberal humanist teaching that is often appropriated to serve conservative regimes. He discusses the tension between the ideal of the noble man in Confucius and Mencius and the figure of the exemplary sage-king turned authoritarian in the imperial dynasties. On the basis of evidence from both early Confucian teachings and historical developments, de Bary questions the Weberian characterization of Confucianism as a philosophy of acceptance and accommodation, lacking a critical voice or capability for self-transformation. Instead, he sees Confucianism as involving a prophetic voice, identified with the noble man as spokesman for the people's welfare but assigning no responsibility to the people for acting on their own behalf. Institutionally this view became embodied in a two-class structure, a bureaucratic ruling class governing people with no power or responsibility themselves, and later in a one-party state, dominated by a Communist elite. Confucian thinkers in the past were not unaware of the problems, and we can all benefit from learning more about their troubled experience with Confucius' noble ideals."--Jacket.