China as a norm entrepreneur : disseminating a humane authority model in international society

Abstract

Yan Xuetong has proposed that China adopt “Humane Authority” (based on his interpretation of the Confucian Xunzi), as a means to establish Sinocentric norms in international society. Yan argues that achieving this goal requires China becoming a model which other states will wish to emulate. But what exactly does this entail? What must this model contain? What does it take for humane authority to become an international norm? Does it require institutional elements? If so, how? This study will address these questions by identifying a pathway for successful norm promotion, that for a Humane Authority model to be a norm, it must be based on recognition and acceptance of this value within the existing international society. Instead of norm creations after hegemonic wars and revolutions, the study argues that it is possible for the norm entrepreneur to operate within the existing international society within an existing structure created and shaped by others. Specifically, this pathway to achieving acceptance for a norm depends on fulfilling the follow three steps: first, identify an area that lacks international consensus. Second, the more a rising power is being perceived as a norm taker within a particular derivative institution, the more credibility it possesses to promote a new norm and being accepted by others in the international society. Third, the greater the ability of the norm entrepreneur to identify and persuade “cascade trigger” members of international society to accept the new norm, the more likely the entrepreneur can succeed in overcoming anti-preneurial resistance. The study examined three case studies where the three steps were achieved, first, the creation of the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization). Second, China’s establishment of the AIIB (Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank) with Japan’s spearheading of the ADB (Asian Development Bank). In the case of the ADB, the study will illustrate that not only can the three steps be applied to a non-China case, it will also show that a failure to fulfil the three steps will result in failure for the entrepreneur to create the norm and its organizational platform. Finally, data extrapolated from the three case studies will be used to explore a possible Humane Authority Model which China can apply in practice.