Human Rights and Real Cultures: Towards a Dialogue on ‘Asian Values’

Abstract

Despite the re-affirmation of the universality of human rights at the UN World Conference in 1993, the principle of universality has continued to be called in question by reference to ‘Asian values’ by political leaders and intellectuals in the economically successful societies of South-East Asia. This is, however, only a new manifestation of the well-known problem of ‘cultural relativism’. The author seeks to clarify the principles that underlie debates about the universality of human rights and the particularity of cultures by analysing the nature of cultures, and applying the analysis to the ‘Asian values’ debate. He argues that all cultures are complex and dynamic, and can be used to oppress, exploit and/or promote the quality of the lives of human individuals and groups. The concept of human rights is itself a cultural product, which has been designed to protect human beings from oppression and exploitation and to promote their well-being. The principles of human rights have to be interpreted and applied in diverse circumstances. The relations between human rights and real cultures are therefore likely to be complex and to some degree controversial. The category of ‘Asian values’ is, however, too crude to clarify these relations to the end of protecting and promoting the fundamental interest that all human beings have in the quality of their lives.