Pursuing a civil society amid multicultural forces<\/p>\n
By Mochtar Buchori<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (JP): Common sense has it that multiculturalism
\nis a phenomenon which can be observed only in pluralistic
\nsocieties.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia and Australia, for instance, multiculturalism can
\nbe readily seen and felt in everyday life.<\/p>\n
It is rare in homogeneous societies like Japan, South Korea,
\nTaiwan, China and, I guess, the Czech Republic, for people to
\ntalk about multiculturalism as a critical social problem.<\/p>\n
Accustomed to this view, I found it rather hard initially to
\nunderstand this lecture about multiculturalism in South Korea in
\na recent international conference, Civitas Kuala Lumpur 1998.<\/p>\n
The lecture was by Jay Choi, coordinator and deputy secretary-
\ngeneral of the FIET KOREA Liaison Council. My understanding grew
\nonly after she described in vivid terms the differences in life
\nconditions and responses to challenges between members of the
\nworking class and those in power.<\/p>\n
I realized that she viewed the cultural situation in Korea in
\na vertical manner, a method polar opposite to my traditional one
\nin which multiculturalism is always perceived in a horizontal
\nparadigm.<\/p>\n
I do not know whether Choi is aware of American anthropologist
\nTimothy C. Weiskel's view on culture, but her description of
\nmulticulturalism in South Korean society seems closely related.<\/p>\n
Dr. Weiskel defines culture as "the totality of learned
\nbehavior that has become habitual in a given society or social
\nsubgroup".<\/p>\n
Learned behavior is in essence "common habits of thought and
\nof perception that people learn as a natural part of growing up
\nin any culture". These habits of mind are usually learned long
\nbefore formal schooling begins and are invariably independent of
\nformal educational structures.<\/p>\n
Choi described how members of the working class drastically
\nchanged their lifestyles to adjust themselves to the dictates of
\nthe new economic conditions sweeping Korea. When she compared
\nthem to the behavior of members of the upper class, she
\nessentially demonstrated the existence of two different cultures
\nexisting for the "people" and the "rulers".<\/p>\n
We in Indonesia do not know much about the specifics of these
\ncultural types, but only that the people's culture has created
\ngenerations of tough Korean students and workers.<\/p>\n
The two groups are well known for their tenacity whenever they
\nare forced to resist policies and treatment they consider unfair.<\/p>\n
We outsiders have the impression that such toughness
\nconstitutes "second nature". Choi discerned this characteristic
\nas a manifestation of the "instinct for resistance struggle"
\ncommon among Koreans born in the people's culture.<\/p>\n
Whereas the "people's culture" is one solid block, within the
\n"ruler's culture" there are three subcultures tiered into the
\nchaebol, military and bureaucracy.<\/p>\n
Choi said the present crisis in Korea not only represents an
\neconomic crisis for the workers, but also an amalgamation of
\npsychological, social, and cultural crises as well.<\/p>\n
These subjectively felt multiple crises tend to bring about a
\n"new culture" within the working class, something which is less
\nbound by the determinative power of the traditional culture.<\/p>\n
For members of the working class, the crisis is a
\n"transcultural experience" that carries the seeds of a more
\nresilient and creative workers' culture.<\/p>\n
It is a phenomenon which anthropologists refer to as "cultural
\ntransformation", that is a passing over into a new cultural
\nformat.<\/p>\n
Does the Korean economic downturn also bring about this same
\ntransformation within the ruler's culture?<\/p>\n
As far as I remember, Choi did not discuss this matter.
\nJudging from the collapse of many conglomerates in Korea,
\nhowever, my guess is that no cultural change as profound as the
\none happening within the working class seems to have occurred
\nwithin the upper reaches.<\/p>\n
Which inevitably leaves us pondering what causes the
\ndifference.<\/p>\n
The discussion about multiculturalism in Korea was part of a
\ngrand discussion about problems in developing and maintaining
\ncivil society.<\/p>\n
Here it is appropriate to quote from President Vaclav Havel's
\nstatements in his opening address to the Civitas Prague 1995
\nconference that civil society and democracy combined is a "system
\nbased on trust in human responsibility. This responsibility,
\nhowever, must be constantly nurtured and cultivated. The state
\nshould not believe that it alone knows better than others what
\nthe society needs".<\/p>\n
He continued: "It should trust its citizens and enable them to
\nshare in a substantive way the exercise of responsibility for the
\ncondition in the society. To this end, the state should offer
\ncitizens ... opportunities for participating in public life and
\ndeveloping diverse forms of civic coexistence, solidarity and
\nparticipation."<\/p>\n
If pursuing this ideal has even been a problem in a
\nhomogeneous society like the Czech Republic, it should be no
\nsurprise that it has been a great one in Korea and Indonesia.<\/p>\n
According to Prof. Jean Bethke Elshtain of the University of
\nChicago, pursuing civil society and democracy in multicultural
\nsocieties is tantamount to attempting "to create a 'we', but at
\nthe same time, to recognize differences and distinctions".<\/p>\n
It is a long-standing problem in human history.<\/p>\n
If we are willing to learn from past human efforts, the wisdom
\nthat is transmitted through "centuries of blood and sweat and
\ntears" seems to be -- again according to Prof. Elshtain -- the
\nfollowing: "Passion, yes. Fanaticism, no\/Freedom, yes. License,
\nno\/Duty, yes. Compulsion, no\/Dignity, yes. Heroic excesses, no."<\/p>\n
Could these time-honored truths be our guide in our efforts to
\ntransform ourselves into a more democratic civil society?<\/p>\n
The writer is an observer of social and cultural affairs.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pursuing-a-civil-society-amid-multicultural-forces-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }