Fair Development: Theoretical Evolution And Practical Orientation In China

After examining and comparing the concepts of equality, justice, and fairness and their evolution in both the East and the West, I adopt a unique three-level perspective of philosophy, systems, and behaviors to develop a theoretical framework and practical direction for fair development in China. Confucian philosophy has had a dominant influence on the formation of the Chinese fairness ideology and related social practices. The social ideal that "the world community is equally shared by all," the disparity structure maintained by the ritual system, and the conscious behavioral development of the elite class of scholars and officials are the primary driving forces of the continuous evolution of fairness in Chinese society. Traditionally, fairness in China was institutionalized through the "benevolence" and "rites" of Confucianism. Looking forward to the future, China needs to influence the theories and practices of fair development by: (a) embedding the concept of equality in the ideology of fair development, (b) enabling the development of fairness through institutional construction, and (c) promoting the construction of social norms as a civil movement to advance fair development.