On the Position and Function of Core Values in the Construction of National Cultural Soft Power

ISSN 1923-0176 [Print] Studies in Sociology of Science ISSN 1923-0184 [Online] Vol. 6, No. 1, 2015, pp. 25-29 www.cscanada.net DOI: 10.3968/5678 www.cscanada.org On the Position and Function of Core Values in the Construction of National Cultural Soft Power HE Meizi[a],* ; HONG Xiaonan[b] [a]Doctoral Student, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Dalian “A country’s comprehensive national strength includes University of Technology, Dalian, China. not only the hard power from economic, science and [b]Professor, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China. technology, military, but also the soft power from the *Corresponding author. attractive force of culture, and values” (Joseph, 2004). On today’s global stage, countries come very naturally Supported by the Key Program of National Social Science Fund to be divided into three levels—the third-class ones “Research on Developing a Strong Socialist Culture in China” (13AZD016). export products, the second-class export standards and rules, while the first-class export values. This shows that Received 15 October 2014; accepted 18 December 2014 the values have great significance in the construction of Published online 26 February 2015 country’s soft power even the comprehensive national strength. As the father of soft power theory, USA former Abstract: Assistant Secretary of Defense, Joseph Nye warned “Cultural soft power” as a key component of the United States policymakers as early as 1999, “our values comprehensive strengths of a country and nation, has been are important resource of soft power, hard power and soft gaining increasing attention from all over the world. power are essential, but in the information age, soft power With the advent of this global age, there are three major games is becoming more influential than ever before” (Joseph, between countries, which are games of political systems, 1999). interests and core values. And the game of core values has been the pillar of the games between countries nowadays. (Gong, 2014) 1. INTERPRETATION OF CORE VALUES As the heart and soul of cultural soft power, core 1.1 The Connotation and Denotation of Core Values values have been playing a more and more vital role in To understand the core values is bound to the concepts the international competition, whose effects matching of “value”, “values”, and the connotation of core values up to the importance of economy, military, science and as the logical starting point for research. Marx points technology should not be underestimated. out that “the universal concept of value is established Key words: Core Values; Cultural soft power; on the relationship between human and their necessary Position; Function objections” (Marx & Engels, 1963). Therefore, value is the relational category of the object to the subject and He, M. Z., & Hong, X. N. (2015). On the Position and Function meeting the needs of the subject, and values are views, of Core Values in the Construction of National Cultural Soft Power. Studies in Sociology of Science, 6(1), 25-29. Available from: ideas and attitudes to the “value”. Strictly speaking, URL: http://www.cscanada.net/index.php/sss/article/view/5678 definition of values is not uniform in theory. American DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/5678 anthropologist Clyde Kluchholn raised the most noted depiction that “value is externally obvious or internally invisible about which is worthwhile. It is characteristics of individuals or groups, and affects behaviors, measures and INTRODUCTION purposes of human” (Kluckhohn, 1951). Obviously, he In today’s world, the competition between countries based the concept of “value” on “people orientation” and is essentially focused on the overall national strength. something valuable. Briefly, values are comprehensive 25 Copyright © Canadian Research & Development Center of Sciences and Cultures On the Position and Function of Core Values in the Construction of National Cultural Soft Power system about value belief, ideals, standard and specific relevant with governance basis, nevertheless in a rhetoric value orientation, meeting the need of human surviving, diction. developing and enjoying” (Li & Sun, 2007). Besides, countries differs from each other on the core Core values are placed in the dominant position of value system values they embrace, because these concepts come out as a leading role, and it reflects not only the fundamental interest of different historical tracks of different races, finally of ruling class but also the inherent requirements and trends it signify historical and ethnical features, for example: from the actual demands and social development, with the most during the lengthy feudal era, Chinese core values are social members identifying strongly with its core value intention “principle of feudal moral conduct”; In modern china, and orientation. (Jia, 2002) the concepts are “independence, prosperity”, while Briefly, value reflects the meaning and utilization to us, in contemporary age, the core values are “prosperity, while values as our basic perspective on addressing values democracy, civility, and harmony, freedom, equality, involves subjective inclination and judging standard justice, and the rule of law, patriotism, dedication, between good and bad; core values occupy a leading integrity, and friendship”; meanwhile, the core values position in the whole value system and plays conclusive include ethnical feature as well. For example: The idea role in it as well. Besides, values are characterized as on “democracy, freedom, fairness” is both supported pluralism, while core values uniqueness. by China and America, but they show different impact Every country persists in construction of its core in scale, which involves the issue of universal value. values, but turns out to be different in contents due to Human literally shares a common pursuit of value; distinctive history and culture. Therefore, the denotation however, universal value is given special meaning by of core values is content-plentiful and related to dozens some cultural super power, and becomes the substitute for of words, For example, England: freedom, tolerance, cultural supremacy. Besides, powerful and weak states openness, fairness, solidarity, France: freedom, equality, demonstrate different preference in the emphasis of core philanthropism; America: freedom, tolerance, democracy, values. Powerful states ascribe importance to adjustability fairness, individualism; Japan: righteousness, order, and generalizability, a representative of cultural etiquette, patriotism, freedom, democracy; China: supremacy; while, weak states emphasize personality and prosperity, democracy, civility, and harmony, freedom, features in order to avoid being submerged by powerful equality, justice, and the rule of law, patriotism, countries and absorbed with independent culture. dedication, integrity, and friendship; and so on. 1.2 Universality and Individuality of Core Values 2. THE POSITION OF CORE VALUES Core values focus on a relatively stable fundamental IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF NATIONAL pursuit of value in a certain period of time, which is deeply woven into the fabric of the race, and the concept CULTURAL SOFT POWER attains the emphasis from every state, albeit with no As the name implies, “soft power” and “hard power” existence of global unanimous creed. Every country are comparative, relative to the economy, science and either sticks to its own core values, or promotes its technology, military and other physical strength, “soft own explanation respectively. Looking over all the power” refers to the cultural, ideological and other core values, no matter American belief, French spirit, intangible power, so the soft power is often known as the or communal values of Singapore, they demonstrate soft power of culture. The subject of cultural soft power some common characteristics: First, Simplicity, core specifically refers to a country or region with a culture values should be described briefly, distinctively in based on cohesion, vitality, innovation and propagation theme, comprehensibly; Second, inner inherency and force, as well as charisma and influence of this. These idealism, core values should be deep-rooted into public five components come from the identity of core values. mind, and people naturally embrace this idea, recognize In other words, whether there are shared values and it and yearn for realizing it. Third, domination, all the the acceptance of it, determines the strength of cultural other values are subject to the influence of core values, soft power. Therefore, if any country wants to make the and the core values control every aspect of the whole will and strength of all members of society together, it country; Fourth, constructability, the favorable contents must adapt the core values on the economical basis and of core values is rather formed spontaneously than political systems. To sum up, any country is committed the mutual construction of top-to-bottom and bottom- to strengthening the construction of cultural soft power; to-top. Only through the support of elites and the it is the construction of core values that is the most identity of citizens, can core values create synergies; crucial and the most fundamental, which relates to the Fifth, class nature, ruling class in any state is granted vitality and cohesive force of a nation, even of vital the leadership of material and spiritual power, hence importance. core values, the dominant role in power, are doomed The core values of

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