Beyond the Western Paradigm: Confucian Public Administration

Abstract

If there are different paradigms of public administration (PA), then there is not one global best PA, but what we refer to as “global” PA is actually Western PA. The other side of the coin, Non-Western PA (NWPA), is outlined in this chapter. NWPA’s strongest protagonist, Confucian Public Administration, is more closely examined, both historically and in contemporary context. The chapter focuses on Mainland China, but also reviews other Confucian systems, including Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam and the somewhat problematic case of Japan. The chapter shows that, although institutional Confucian public administration is less ubiquitous than Confucian values, it is ultimately substantive enough to support NWPA. The Chapter demonstrates how recognition of NWPA can contribute to the capacity to establish “good” public administration in various other regions of the globe.