Viewing the Development of Human Society from Asia

Abstract

Is it possible to reconceptualise the ‘civilising process’ as a culturally neutral process? This essay is an attempt to explore these questions, and does this through the case studies of Japanese and Chinese ‘civilising missions’. It proceeds as follows. First, it will examine the case of Japanese ‘civilising missions’ which took place in Taiwan during the Meiji period (1868-1912). Second, I then turn to the more contemporary example of China in Africa, and seek to examine whether or not it is possible to observe the emergence of discourses which may point to Chinese ‘civilising missions’ in Africa. Their bitter experiences, coupled with a sense of ambivalence towards Western civilising missions, may have resulted in ‘civilising missions’ with greater sensitivity to cultural difference, thus providing us with hints for overcoming the problems that have frequently dogged ‘civilising missions’ throughout the globe.