Is Culture Destiny in Asia? A Story of a Tiger and a Lion

Abstract

This comparative study explores cultural differences between two Asian societies, Singapore and South Korea, and argues that they have had an impact on the political uses of new communication technologies as well as on the patterns of their regulation and control. It is suggested that among other factors, the rise of Christianity and Protestantism in particular in Korea has contributed to a cultural shift towards more participatory and authority-challenging political culture. Evidence from the World Values Survey suggests that Singaporeans and South Koreans are indeed different when it comes to the traditional orientation towards authority and self-expression values. The study suggests that these cultural differences have led to two distinct trajectories of communication-technology-promoted political development.

Keywords:

• Culture
• Democracy
• Asia
• New Technologies
• Internet