In the 1990s, I was dubbed a communitarian guru, although quite a few others deserved the title at least as much. Recently, I have followed with special interest the responses to the pandemic in various nations that have embraced communitarian values (sometimes referred to as Asian or East Asian values). Communitarianism is often defined as a social philosophy in which the common good trumps individual rights. Individuals are viewed as cells of an organic body, the society, and hence gain their meaning through the contributions they make to society.
This philosophy draws on Confucian, Buddhist and Taoist values. (The version I advocated treats the common good and individual right as co-equals and is referred to as liberal communitarianism.) Communitarian governance relies on norms and peer pressure, rather than on government coercion, laws and policing.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.