FREEDOM AND CONFUCIANISM

CARL M. JOHNSON

ABSTRACT

In order to better understand how the question of freedom will affect the future of
China, this paper analyzes its relationship to Confucianism. Since freedom can be
understood as the normatively desirable expression of self-nature, the paper first
examines the concept of human nature in the Mencius and shows that, contrary
to the stereotype, Confucianism has the resources for a creative and progressive
understanding of personal and political freedom. In the second section, the
paper analyzes the question of whether Confucianism has the resources to resist
misappropriation by totalitarians. Finding numerous instances of textual support
for this, the paper concludes by calling on concerned Western observers to urge
the Chinese to use the resources of their own culture to responsibly build a more
free society.