The State as Educator: Sandel and Chinese Thought

The article analyzes the concept of “statecraft as soulcraft,” which posits that state institutions inevitably shape the character of citizens. The author contrasts the republican approach of Michael Sandel, who emphasizes the importance of civic virtues essential for self-governance, with the Confucian perfectionism represented by Chen Lai. While Sandel focuses on political dispositions and deliberation, Chinese thought proposes a “thicker” model of human development, integrating the private, familial, and public spheres into a single process of self-improvement. The text raises a key question regarding the permissible scope of state-led moral formation and the conflict between liberal axiological neutrality and the pursuit of an objective common good.