How Can East Asia Culture Tradition Foster a Rapidly Growing Economy

Abstract

The important influence of culture on economy lies not only in its direct influence on the behavior pattern of economic individuals, but also in its influence on the performance of official systems. Culture is the foundation of official systems and one of the basic conditions for their success. Confucianism originated in China and gradually spread to Japan, the Korean Peninsula and Vietnam. Over the course of thousands of years, it has perfected itself and expanded its influence across a vast area of East and Southeast Asia, forming the cultures and traditions of those regions. The rapid and unprecedented economic success of East Asia, including South Korea, has led scholars to tend to study East Asian economic development from a cultural perspective, recognizing that economically successful East Asian countries are all influenced by a common culture of Confucianism. Taking South Korea as an example, this paper selects two characteristics of East Asian culture, big government and emphasis on education, and analyzes that East Asian culture and values not only adapt to modern economy, but also foster a rapid economic growth.