ABSTRACT
Detected in not only the most ancient tribal societies, but in Greek classical political thought, and in the social philosophy of the Chinese sage Confucius, collectivism is a social philosophy with rich and multiple cultural and historical origins. The philosophical counterpoint to individualism, collectivism bears with it the belief in society as an organic, natural phenomenon, in substance and meaning antithetical to the atomist viewpoint of society as artificial and contrived. As an ideological construct, the presumption of society as natural to the human condition describes one of the deepest contrasts between East and West. While it is not inappropriate to consider America as the model for individualistic societies and Japan as a model of collectivist societies, on a broader scale the individualisticcollectivist duality describes a bifurcation between the majority and minority of the world’s peoples. The majority of the world’s population live in societies where the interests of the group antecede the interests of the individual. (Hoecklin, 35-71) There are few cultures in which there is greater sensitivity to matters of status, gradations of hierarchy, and an abhorrence of individualism. In the collectivist society, the ultimate sin is selfishness; there is little room for the respect of individual rights. But there is also an expectation of respect and decency to be accorded to all those who fulfil the conventional duties of their roles in the social order.
