Good Governance for Relational Selves: Internal Goods of Human Relationships and Common Social Values

In this chapter I reflect upon some key ideas of the discussion sessions. First is about the illuminating potential of the family analogy for state governance. Second is about the importance of rituals and the code of civility. Third concerns a robust foundation and justification of human rights in East Asian societies. Fourth centers on the kind of equality needed for good governance. I suggest that the greatest satisfaction of human life depends on intangible and shareable goods, and a central insight of Confucianism is that relationships and goods internal to relationships are central to human life.