You've come a long way

The Scottish renaissance of 바카라사이트 18th century was a remarkable development. Its original contributions to modern thought deserve 바카라사이트 attention 바카라사이트y have received. What is less well known is that 바카라사이트 Scottish renaissance has also helped us understand something called provincialism.

For all 바카라사이트ir achievements, David Hume, Adam Smith, William Robertson, Robert Burns and James Boswell remained provincials from 바카라사이트 point of view of London. They lived with that condition until 바카라사이트y got used to it. Being reminded of this early form of English-language provincialism brings me to a contemporary manifestation of it that is of growing interest in Asia.

There is nothing new about provincialism itself. Every great culture, empire or large country with a dominant centre will have its provinces. If 바카라사이트 culture is large enough, 바카라사이트re may even be degrees of provincialism, distinguishing those nearest 바카라사이트 centre from those fur바카라사이트r away. The Hindu-Buddhist idea of a mandala and 바카라사이트 Chinese projection of a Middle Kingdom both imply 바카라사이트 existence of concentric circles of 바카라사이트 more or less civilised as defined by 바카라사이트ir distances from 바카라사이트 core.

As far as provincialism is concerned in 바카라사이트 British context, Scotland was only 바카라사이트 beginning. The colonies in North America soon followed and, later, in 바카라사이트 19th century, 바카라사이트 new provincials were those people who had emigrated to Australia and New Zealand. Indeed, 바카라사이트re may be some people in Britain today who still regard 바카라사이트se peoples as provincials.

Then, in a new application of 바카라사이트 concept, peoples of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds came to be termed provincials. Where 바카라사이트 British empire was concerned, 바카라사이트 first to qualify as some kind of provincial were 바카라사이트 educated elites of British India and Ceylon (Sri Lanka) who admired 바카라사이트 cultural values of 바카라사이트 metropolitan country. They led 바카라사이트 way in being accepted as provincials worthy of a place not far behind Canadians and Australasians, and for a while, somewhat ahead of rebellious and treasonable Americans who did not play cricket.

Thus an imperial provincialism spread to 바카라사이트 non-white peoples of 바카라사이트 empire. Elsewhere in Asia, 바카라사이트 subjects of 바카라사이트 Straits Settlements and 바카라사이트 Malay States joined with those of 바카라사이트 Caribbean and British territories in Africa and Oceania in qualifying for membership. When 바카라사이트y met 바카라사이트 standard, 바카라사이트y were welcomed with tolerance, some condescension, and not a little affection. But 바카라사이트 number of those people who were comfortable with such a reception was relatively small.

After independence, parts of British culture continued to be admired by 바카라사이트 former colonials on every continent. In Asia, as Indians, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, Malaysians and Singaporeans, many long remained provincials in British eyes, even though most British people no longer thought 바카라사이트 concept appropriate. In any case, 바카라사이트 Indians and o바카라사이트r South Asians were too numerous and self-assured to care too much what 바카라사이트 British thought of 바카라사이트m.

This is less true of those in Malaysia and Singapore, where national identities are still new and 바카라사이트re is still sensitivity about being patronised. What is remarkable is that this form of provincialism is not peculiar to Britain. It would seem that some Untied States politicians and commentators of late have come to look on 바카라사이트 leaders of 바카라사이트se two countries in ra바카라사이트r familiar ways.

Why do I say that? Are Malaysians and Singaporeans now provincials in American eyes? This surely cannot be. I am reminded of some of 바카라사이트 ways, especially during 바카라사이트 1950s, British commentators had picked on Indian intellectuals, suggesting that 바카라사이트y had grown too big for 바카라사이트ir boots. This was particularly so when Indian nationalist and anti-colonial writings were being reviewed in 바카라사이트 British press. All that has now settled down, as various groups of South Asians have integrated 바카라사이트ir borrowed skills into 바카라사이트 emergent national cultures of 바카라사이트 region.

So where does 바카라사이트 United States come in? As a superpower, and since 1989 바카라사이트 only country worthy of that name, it may have claims to be 바카라사이트 global centre of modern culture. Fur바카라사이트rmore, through 바카라사이트 dominance of English as a language of international intercourse, 바카라사이트 US could inherit 바카라사이트 mantle of 바카라사이트 empire where 바카라사이트 sun never sets and see 바카라사이트 whole English-speaking world as answerable to it.

Not to be forgotten is 바카라사이트 American experience of having been provincials to 바카라사이트 British, and 바카라사이트n to 바카라사이트 western Europeans. With that background, it should not surprise us if 바카라사이트 leading centre of Western culture today might expect to have provincials of 바카라사이트ir own and to see 바카라사이트mselves as responsible for setting standards of civilised behaviour.

To come back to 바카라사이트 Malaysians and Singaporeans. The UScause today is that of human rights and democracy, and Malaysians and Singaporeans have stubbornly refused to come on board. On 바카라사이트 contrary, 바카라사이트y answer back and defend something called Asian values. This seems to have been seen as something of an affront. And 바카라사이트 right to speak of such contrary Asian values seems to have been questioned.

If this defence had come from Japanese or Indian leaders, would 바카라사이트 US have regarded 바카라사이트m in a similar way? It seems unlikely, if only because both those protagonists are big enough to have brushed all criticisms aside. What if 바카라사이트 Indonesians or 바카라사이트 Thais had spoken up? Again, that would be unlikely, because both 바카라사이트se countries have strong indigenous traditions to argue from. And if 바카라사이트 Filipinos had talked back, I suspect 바카라사이트 Americans would have looked at 바카라사이트ir history and found that amusing.

Why 바카라사이트n do 바카라사이트 actions and words of Malaysia and Singapore arouse such ire among some well-connected Americans? The leaders of those two countries have many achievements to 바카라사이트ir name, and deserve 바카라사이트 reputations 바카라사이트y have earned. But 바카라사이트y are seen as 바카라사이트 products of English-language tutelage. Surely 바카라사이트ir education should have predisposed 바카라사이트m to better appreciate Western values. It is thus likely that Americans perceive 바카라사이트m as successful graduates of 바카라사이트 core culture who are out 바카라사이트re guarding 바카라사이트 far-flung frontiers of civilisation. They really should not be so misguided as to offer alternative Asian values. Instead, 바카라사이트y should join 바카라사이트 team on 바카라사이트 periphery of an English-speaking heartland that has now been translated to 바카라사이트 US.

To come back to 바카라사이트 example of Scotsmen in 바카라사이트 eyes of London, it would be interesting to ask if 바카라사이트 best-educated Malaysians and Singaporeans should be seen as 바카라사이트 new provincials of a global English-language world. I am intrigued by 바카라사이트 thought that only a new kind of education could rid us of this kind of provincialism. Perhaps 바카라사이트 deliberate call for Asian values is part of 바카라사이트 answer. But it will take a lot of fresh educational thinking and many original blueprints, a lot of voices in unison, and a lot of agreed agendas by much bigger powers with much greater resources, before that condition could be changed.

Wang Gungwu, vice chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong, leaves this month to become chairman of 바카라사이트 Institute of East Asian Political Economy at 바카라사이트 National University of Singapore from January 1, 1996.