Constructing culture and educating citizens in developmental states: Singapore and China

This chapter sheds light on the cultural and ideological construction through education in state-led socioeconomic developments in Singapore and China, both regarded as Confucian heritage societies. Approaching the two cases through the notion of developmental state, the chapter critically examines how Confucian-based culture, or "Confucianism, " is constructed, essentialized, and championed through education by the respective states to produce developmental citizens for top-down developmental goals and, ultimately, for ruling legitimization. This is manifested as Asian Values in Singapore and Chinese Traditional Culture in China. Emphasis will be placed on the civics and citizenship curriculum in each state. The chapter concludes by arguing that Confucian-based culture is a double-edged sword for the two developmental states under changing political and socioeconomic circumstances.