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Moral Education and Ideology in China

The Chinese government is not shy about pointing out the moral challenges faced by Chinese youth.  In fact, Chinese leaders are inviting the nation to work in solidarity to address these critical problems.  The problem is grave, as a June 2004 article from China's official Xinhua news agency reported the following:

Widespread moral problems facing China's 367 million minors under 18, including growing crimes involving juveniles, has become a focal point for Chinese society and political leaders.  A national survey showed about 20 percent of middle and primary school kids suffer such problems as coddling, unruliness, mentally frailty, lack of resolve and difficulty in getting on with others, and such serious problems as playing truant, excessive drinking, pregnancy among teenage girls, and suicides.

read more at the People's Daily website

In response to these issues, this past May, President Hu Jintao stressed the need for moral education for children at a national working conference on strengthening and improving ideological and ethical work for juveniles.  The conference was attended by China’s top leaders in Beijing on May 10-11, 2004.  At the conference President Hu called for efforts by all people to educate juveniles well on ideology and ethics in order to foster builders and successors of the socialist cause with China’s own characteristics.   Read more at china.org.cn

The challenges for China, as President Hu emphasized, can be addressed by strengthening ethics and ideology.  Ethics as President Hu acknowledges through his emphasis on ideology, are rooted in one's worldview.  While Chinese traditions of loving one's community and country are exemplary traditions which will help China, can the existing communist ideology fulfill the needs of Chinese youth?   This is a daring question which needs to be asked of and answered by Chinese leaders. 

The ideology of the People's Party is rooted in Marxism-Leninism, which like capitalism, arose with fervor in the 19th century.  However, both of these ideologies are rooted in materialism, which fails to recognize the full depth of the human nature.  In this 21st century, many scholars see these materialistic ideologies as outdated and are promoting more holistic ideologies to solve human problems.

In fact, new ideologies arise as new understandings in science arise.  The 19th century scientific understandings, upheld as the empirical cornerstone of Marxism, have been eclipsed by new understandings in quantum phyics and other progressive theories like Maturana's autopoiesis.  New ideologies emphasizing cooperation rather than dialectical struggle - and even neo-spiritual ideologies which see a transcendent dimension of life complementing or guiding the material dimension are emerging as significant philosophies in the 21st century.

Revising a state ideology is a daunting task.  But despite the challenges China faces, Chinese leaders deserve praise for ackowledging the importance of ideology and ethics in guiding its people.  The real question then is, "What ethics and ideology shall guide China toward the future?" 

There are already examples of Chinese leaders adopting and reshaping the national ideology. For example, in April 2004, Premier Wen Jiabao's said it is the duty of all Chinese to

"protect the eco-environment, cherish every piece of forest, every river, every acre of land and every mine, carry out construction while not bankrupting natural resources or endangering the eco-environment, and to ensure harmony between man and nature,"  read the full article at china.org.cn

The speech was officially described as a new Ideology for the country.  China is also an active member of UNESCO which has launched a Universal Ethics Project - which while focused on ethics, makes many ideological suppositions; and drafted a Declaration of Human Responsibilties (draft form).   Other efforts at establishing a global ethic which could be incorporated in China include the Universal Declaration of a Global Ethic which was promoted by The Parliament of World Religions in 1993 and is connected with the UNESCO effort. 

Chinese leaders have demonstrated their capable leadership in adapting to modern times by allowing increased trade and economic development - trusting the industriousness and intelligence of their people to create better living standards.  Could China likewise lead the way in the 21st century with leading edge ethics and a new ideology? The future of Chinese youth - and the future of the world, may depend on it. 

- contributed by
Eric Wenzel
eric @ worldspirit net