Service and Reciprocity: Confucian Political Authority

Confucian political authority is often assumed illegitimate and it is regarded as meritocratic rather than democratic. However, I disagree with such an assumption, because from my perspective, Confucian political authority actually has a potential legitimacy which may contribute to establishing a responsive and harmonious state. Doing so, I argue that, since Confucian political authority is derived from the idea of "service"and "reciprocity,"it therefore advocates non-coercive moral persuasion and reciprocal obligations. In the following discussion, I will point out that certain modern democratic theories on political authority, such as those concerning "general acceptability,""consent,""autonomy,"and "paternalism,"are inadequate to refute the legitimacy of Confucian political authority. Accordingly, I will propose that our contemplation over whether Confucian political authority is legitimate or not ought to be furthermore widened and deepened.