A Confucian Lesson in Development

Development may be regarded as a form of change and change is suggestive of a future state. Such a future may be considered a transformation into a higher order of existence, even if such a higher order is modelled on a perceived Golden Age of the past, as occurred with the teachings of Confucius. This paper argues that to achieve development in accordance with the moral teachings of Confucius is a nearly impossible task. It represents the pursuit of the ‘hopeless’, and yet such an undertaking has all the hallmarks of a Confucian endeavour. The teaching of high ideals in a world mired in greed and destructive tendencies is both necessary and transformative. It is necessary because, as Confucius said, “If the Way prevailed in the world, I would not be trying to change it.” It is transformative in that morality is being cultivated at different levels and stages, whether between the self and community, or between humans and the planet. Such a process cannot leave society or the world system untouched. Morality is the message and the means for transformative development in the Confucian outlook.