Conclusion
This final chapter emphasizes the critical importance of Confucian political theory’s acceptability to ordinary men and women actually living in East Asia, many of whom are not ready to accept or even actively reject the self-validating moral authority of Confucianism, while struggling with their public standing as “citizens.” It argues that the future of Confucian political theory hinges critically on its ability to furnish a normative framework by which to make sense of, critically reflect upon, and morally improve the ways in which Confucianism (its culture, philosophical ideas, and ethical beliefs) interacts with modern social, economic, and political norms and institutions. The consequence is a political theory that helps citizens in East Asia to mitigate various forms of contingences arising from the circumstances of modern politics, not by overcoming Confucianism but by means of its cultural resources and philosophical insights.