The Nuances of Confucianism in Technology Policy: an Inquiry into the Interaction Between Cultural and Political Systems in Chinese Digital Ethics

The advent of the Information Revolution is challenging ethicists and policymakers alike to confront the difficulties caused by the societal integration of technology policy. As a technological giant operating under its own distinct governing ideology, the ramifications of China’s digital policies and use of surveillance tools are subject to great scrutiny. In its advertised pursuit of long-term stability, the Chinese government looks not just to the future but also to the past, building upon Confucian notions of harmony, legitimacy, and social hierarchy to inform contemporary technology applications and foster acceptance towards them. China is not the only Confucian-influenced society, and the counterfactuals provided by Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore demonstrate Confucianism, as a cultural values system does not institute unanimous approaches to digital governance. Thus, rather than explicitly precipitating modern digital policy, we argue Confucianism instead guides and informs the implementation and justification of the current system of digital governance in a politico-cultural continuum. To demonstrate the intersectionality between Confucianism as a cultural values system and the Chinese Communist Party as an authoritarian governance system, we present the Cybersecurity Law and Social Credit System as exemplar digital tools applied by the Chinese government to efficiently maintain stability and control by establishing a unique contract with citizens regarding their right to privacy. The ethicality of China’s digital governance strategy relies critically on the ethical notions posed by a Confucian philosophical system. Viewing technology policy through a politico-cultural lens informs an understanding as to why the ethics of China’s digital endeavors, which may present a conundrum beyond its borders, find justification within them.