Progressive Confucianism, Nei-Wai Citizenship, and the Family

Stephen C. Angle, Mansfield Freeman Professor of East Asian Studies and Professor of Philosophy, Wesleyan University

In its most general sense, progressive Confucianism is the project of critically developing the on-going Confucian tradition in light of insights and challenges from modern thinkers and societies. Two of the core commitments of the tradition are that (1) all people have the inherent possibility of becoming more virtuous, and our socio-political arrangements should support such growth as much as possible; and (2) internal (or nei) moral growth is inextricably linked to external (or wai) activity, which is summed up in the regulative ideal of "inner sageliness, outer kingliness." In a contemporary, post-monarchical context, the most encompassing role for individuals can thus be called nei-wai citizenship. The thesis of this presentation is that playing one's role within the family is a key aspect of nei-wai citizenship, and that such a reframing allows us to see filiality in a broader light than most recent discussions. By viewing filial children as not only having particularist care for their parents but also — as citizens — being responsive to the ways more general structures impact their parents (and others' parents), we can both answer some of the most pressing objections to contemporary Confucian-inspired social policies and also offer a compelling update to pre-modern Confucianism's famous analogy between family and state.