Asians and 'Asian values'
The most striking thing about "Asian values" is that Asians themselves, when given an opportunity, often repudiate them. "Asian values" is a code phrase used by authoritarian rulers to justify their styles of government. These leaders argue that their subjects value social harmony and stability over democracy. Trouble is, the subjects do not seem to agree.
Recent evidence comes from Hong Kong, where voters delivered a stunning repudiation on May 24 of efforts by China and Hong Kong's China-installed ruler, Tung Chee-hwa, to limit democracy. In Hong Kong's first election since reverting to Chinese control last July, turnout was far higher than predicted, and prodemocracy parties swept just about every open contest. Many candidates who shared China's disdain for liberty were shut out.
Under China's rules, only 20 out of 60 legislative seats were filled by direct election, while narrowly drawn elites more amenable to Chinese control chose the rest. The majority of Hong Kong's legislature thus will be composed of deputies who could never have been elected. Just as HK Magazine predicted, "both the winners and losers all get elected. It's so much more fair then under the old system, in which only the winners won."
But the vote does give Martin Lee, head of the Democratic Party, and his colleagues a moral authority that Mr. Tung and his supporters lack. Before this election, boosters of the Hong Kong government liked to visit Washington and other world capitals disparaging Mr. Lee as a whiner out of touch with his compatriots. Now we know that it is not Mr. Lee who is out of touch. This presents an interesting challenge to President Bill Clinton, scheduled to visit Hong Kong in a few weeks. Of course he will meet with Hong Kong's chief executive. How much time will be spent with the man who might be leader were Hong Kong a real democracy?
In the end, the champions of "Asian values" lose out because they set up a false choice. Democracy is not an alternative to stability; it is stability's best guarantor. From South Korea to Hong Kong to Indonesia, that message is carrying the day.
-- The Washington Post