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Gautama Buddha once said, "Do not believe in anything just because it is said by your teachers and elders but apply your own intellect and then accept it." Buddha's teachings were revolutionary, which spread the ideas of rational thinking and individualism.
Buddhism was carried from India to the remotest parts of Asia, including Korea, by monks and was voluntarily accepted by the kings and the commoners. Unlike some other religions which were spread by the use of sword and deceitful means, Buddhism was spread through peaceful methods.
Buddhism had profound impact on the culture and traditions of Korea and enjoyed royal patronage for many centuries. As a result, the period of the Unified Silla (668-935) and Goryeo (918-1392) Kingdoms had great achievements in the field of arts and culture. There were also several scientific and engineering achievements, such as the invention of the Korean printing technique.
However, Buddhism was replaced by Confucianism as the guiding philosophy during the Joseon Kingdom. Buddhism was condemned for being an individualistic philosophy and dangerous to the social hierarchy and stability. On the other hand Confucianism taught a strict code of conduct and submission to authority. The freedom and liberty of Korean women was also curtailed during this period.
In due course Korea became an even more Confucian society than China, which gave birth to Confucianism. Confucianism created a system where creative thinking was not permitted.
The modern period in Korea witnessed rapid economic development, also known as the "Miracle on the Han River." One group of scholars gives importance to the role of the cultural factors in the economic transformation of Korea. The predominance of Confucian philosophy was helpful in raising a disciplined workforce for the mass-producing industries. The former Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew argued about the role played by the "Asian values" such as work ethic and social hierarchy in the rise of the Tiger economies."
The 1980s saw democratic consolidation in Korea, which for Samuel P. Huntington was evidence of the "Third Wave of Democracy." However, despite economic and political transformations, the cultural values which had been part of the individual and social behavior for centuries in Korea are still present among its people.
In recent years due to the increase in low-cost manufacturing companies across Asia and other parts of the world, the Korean companies have been rapidly losing their competitiveness in the global market. Therefore, the focus of the Korean government and chaebol groups has shifted toward innovation of new technologies and products.
The education system that Korea established decades ago was more in compliance with the labor-intensive manufacturing industries. But for innovation and knowledge-based economy, a workforce is required which can think creatively and can produce new technologies. To build up this kind of workforce Korea needs to make changes in the education system and induce creativity among students.
Korea is an export-oriented economy and a decline in exports would have serious impact on the economy. Therefore, there is a need to make a harmony between the ideas of Confucianism and Buddhism in Korea. The social discipline of Confucianism in combination with the creative thinking of Buddhism would create synergy which would make Korea a hub of startup companies and innovative products.
The author is a Ph.D. candidate at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, India. His e-mail address is rkdhawan13@hotmail.com.
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