#214 Lee Kuan Yew on “Asian Values”

Lee Kuan Yew visits a housing complex in 1965. Source: The New York Times (originally Larry Burrows for LIFE Magazine).

Check for Understanding

Context:

• Interview is between Fareed Zakaria (then managing editor of Foreign Affairs; today a host on CNN) and Lee Kuan Yew (李光耀), prime minister of Singapore from 1959 to 1990.
• Lee had led Singapore to independence from Britain, and then—after a brief stint as part of Malaysia—led his island nation from a promising trade port to a developed nation. 
• At the same time, Lee limited opposition activity and curtailed open political speech. He also introduced laws that would have run afoul of individual protections in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He defended his actions by referencing “Asian values” and the alternative “Asian model” to Western development.
• Lee’s party remains in power today in Singapore, and the country has been led by his son, Lee Hsien Loong (李顯龍), since 2004.

Reflect and share:

• Reflect in writing: “How does Lee Kuan Yew deepen our understanding of human rights?”
• Share with a partner.
• Bring to the full table.

Discussion (some key points to address):

• What does Lee mean by some of the key cultural and geographic identifiers he draws on: “East Asian,” “Eastern,” “Western,” and “Chinese”? Do you think his definitions of these terms would be the same as yours? Why or why not?
• What contrast does Lee draw between Singapore and the United States? Why is it important to his critique of human rights
• Why does Lee think an East Asian (particularly a culturally-Chinese) perspective might raise questions about the “universal” character of the UDHR?
• Is democracy a universal human right? What does Lee think? What do you think?

Homework: Assignment #215.