The Great Equal Society

Confucianism, China and the 21st Century

Confucianism is the guiding creed for a quarter of mankind, yet hardly anyone has explained it in plain terms — until now. Written in a style both intelligible and enjoyable for the global audience, The Great Equal Society distils the core ideas of the major Confucian classics and shows how their timeless wisdom can be applied to the modern world. It also introduces pragmatic suggestions emanating from Confucius and his followers for ensuring good governance, building a humane economy and educating moral leaders.

The book's core message of inner morality, first expounded by Confucius millennia ago, will resonate on both sides of the Pacific, and its sweeping survey of the hot topics today — dysfunctional government, crony capitalism, and the erosion of ethics in both Wall Street and Main Street, among others — will breathe new life to Confucian teachings while providing much-needed answers to our urgent social problems.

The Great Equal Society is written by Young-oak Kim, a Korean thinker whom Wikipedia describes as “the nation's leading philosopher dealing with public issues and explaining Oriental philosophy to the public,” and Jung-kyu Kim, a talented trilingual writer who has published works in English, Japanese and Korean.

Contents:

• A Philosophical Shift:

  • Johnson's Great Society
  • Restoring Inner Morality
  • Institution versus Culture
  • A Society of Ren: Modern Examples
  • A New Philosophy for China — and for the World

• On Government:

  • Is Democracy for China?
  • Real Challenge for China
  • Two Views of Human Nature
  • Characteristics of Good Government
  • Freedom of the Media
  • Learn from Singapore

• On the Economy:

  • Laissez-faire versus Social Realization
  • Misery of the Middle Class
  • Breakdown of Morality
  • Restoring Humanity
  • Profit Motive as Secondary
  • Challenges for China
  • Suggestions for a Humane Economy
  • Christianity, Communism, and Claims of Community

• On Education:

  • Educational Arms Race
  • Money, Education, and the Democratic Ideal
  • Redefining the Purpose of Education
  • The Moral Animal
  • Beyond Freedom and Discipline
  • Confucian Theory of Education
  • Talent, Discipline, and Success
  • Moral Leadership

• The New China Model:

  • Rise of the “China Model”
  • Redefining the China Model
  • On Diplomacy
  • On the Environment
  • Celebrating China's Rise

• A Short Introduction to Confucianism:

  • Confucius and Religion
  • Confucianism as a Moral Philosophy
  • Confucianism versus Legalism
  • Failures of Confucianism

Readership: General readers interested in Confucianism, China, Great Equal Society.