Moreover, religions indoctrinate and re-enforce noteworthy facets of culture, its ideals, and society. Â In some cases, religion is like the cement tying belief systems together--creating a mass identity (for example, West vs. East , Christian versus non-Christian, Muslim versus non-Muslim) while at the same time religions can lead to revolt, i.e. as when the state itself is called into question, as occurred with the Iranian revolution in 1979. Â [Similarly, the churches played roles in the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe in the following decade.]
Unlike South Asia, the Middle East and Southeast Asia--where religious patronage and political party patronage have been observed to have played major roles in the political landscape continuously for centuries--, the so-called (quickly) secularization (westernization) of Japan, the Koreas, China and Taiwan over the past hundred-fifty years (or so) have left most all the religious parties on the sidelines of the local and national landscapes. For example, in Japan seldom have religious-based parties ever gained more than 5% of the votes in national elections in recent decades. Â Similarly, in Taiwan only two big-tent parties have dominated in the land--similar to in the USA . More obvious-still is the weakness of religion's role officially in mainland China , where only the communist party has been allowed to publicly operate for 7 decades.
On the other hand, Confucianist governance and Confucianist economic-politics have been touted to and referred to for decades, i.e. when dealing with East and Southeast Asian economic development. Chang notes in this article, "[c]ompared to Western Christian societies, many East Asian countries have inherited the traditional cultures of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism that strongly emphasize collective well-being rather than individual success." [1] Most importantly, Chang continues, "[p]eople's perceptions about the principles of justice usually relate to their beliefs derived from the value systems under a specific socio-economic condition of society."
At this point, I need to remind readers that Asian (and world or ancient history) scholars claim that the collectivist identities present here in the Far East are in many ways the direct result of the rise of rice-farming system (and related technological and governing structures) in Asia over 5 to 12 millennia ago, i.e. due to natural geographic conditions. Â Geographically and historically, these understandings imply that, as a whole, East Asia is mountainous and water is plentiful. A means to harvest water in inhospitable environs required teamwork--often on a massive scale. Â Harnessing and distributing these natural resources in unfriendly terrain and weather required a collectivist spirit.
In short, rice-farming involves a lot of collective usage of ( i.e. sharing) of water, drainage, and human resources. Conducting rice-farming on any massive scale required that a fair and less-than-arbitrary distribution of natural resources and labor be under the control of authorities supported by the farming communities, and farming families. Otherwise, life would be nasty, short, and brutish for all. Therefore, governance that governed best was one that functioned in community-centered fashion and simultaneously had to govern least, i.e. providing a cost-efficient safety and support for the commonweal through collective distribution and redistribution of resources as time and needs changed. Â In short, often only an efficient system that did not waste the natural and human resources could prosper well for any lengthy period of time. Â
It was into in such an agrarian kingdom that governance and resource distribution issues were discussed widely 4 millennia ago. These discussions and collapsesof civilizations in China itself had led seekers and administrators, like Confucian and his adherents, to search for the best way to organize society. Â
In China 's case, i.e. in the geographic location where Confucian found himself, there had already been several overbearing emperors, i.e. ones who had misused and stretched human and natural resources to the breaking point. Â This cycle of change over the prior decades and centuries had apparently caused --and fueled--other man-made systematic imbalances (further revolts) and led to natural imbalances (leading to agricultural erosion, poverty and stagnation) . In other words, things had fallen apart so extremely that several major Chinese kingdoms had already disappeared. Â
The search for a long-lasting government and a right-living system was of continuous ongoing interests for the Chinese--as these same matters were for kingdoms much further to the West. Â Â Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, other faiths and still-other world views were means for pursuing both the goals of better societal organization (i.e. community) and to pursue individual self-interest in the name of seeking harmony with nature and society. Later, codification of practices as these faiths and world views) merged and synchronized with one another. These interrelationships deepened over time--creating common values across clans and regions as the centuries rolled on.
VALUE SYSTEMS IN MODERN TAIWAN
Chang suggests "that religion's role in shaping people's attitudes toward redistributive policies in Taiwan is substantially different from what is found in studies using data from advanced Western societies." For example, his findings demonstrate that in the case of all three major areas of social redistribution in society discussed in his paper, Protestantism "leads [in Taiwan] to a more favorable attitude" towards these government projects, [even] "while Buddhists and Taoists tend to be more supportive of a government's role in [specifically] providing healthcare."[3]  In addition, believers of folk religions are [still] more favorable toward the provision  of financial help for students from low-income families. [4]
Chang's main thesis here is that "an important part of traditional cultures, religion is influential in the cultivation and indoctrination of people's beliefs about fairness, social justice, and the legitimization of redistributive policies." Â His research shows that in the case of Taiwan," people's preferences for governments role in redistribution" can be explained by their individual identification with religions and faiths of East Asia--as well as modern imports, such as Christianity. [5]
WHY IS THE INFLUENCE OF PROTESTANTS HERE DIFFERENT?
I have a different spin on why even Protestants continue to support the state's involvement in redistribution in Taiwan today. There are several possible reasons.
(1) Protestant faiths--as newcomers to the island--have reached out to the more marginalized peoples in society as their base. Â They are thus more in tune with what the needs and short-comings of society are. Â The democratization process of Taiwan over the past 3 or more decades has led to criticism of the state while at the same time giving citizens more voice. Â Part of the trend in Taiwan (in contrast to Mainland China historically) in recent years has been to promote a pluralistic view of self--as contrasted with some monolithic notion of what it means to be Chinese.[6]
(2) Protestants are more in synch with other basic needs of faith and life here in Taiwan than they have in other places where they have been observed as latent occupiers. . Â This means that Protestantism--which in many cases is true in ecumenical circles in the West today--can absorb the idea of synchronizing faiths, worldviews, etc. Â this is not unlike what the Catholics did when they arrived in the Americas ' and the Philippines --but bringing love instead of swords.
In Taiwan , many young people are lost as times and life changes fast. However, here it is still seen as important for the individual and society that individuals be encouraged to find a family and tribe or faith. Â (There has even been growth in the non-Christian sectors in recent decades in Taiwan , too.) Â It is like what my mother said to me when I grew up and left home. Â Go to church on Sunday--any church. Â This means that seeking is encouraged much more than in the past to find his or her own way. Â Naturally, this has led officially--and in even more respects unofficially--to greater sense of tolerance and celebration of diverse backgrounds in society here in Taiwan--as long as the basic virtues of fairness and good-governance for all is maintained.
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