Social Change and Educational Problems in Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong

The spectacular economic and technological achievements of certain Far Eastern countries have attracted world wide attention. The markets of the West are dominated by the products of countries with no traditions of industrialization and few natural resources. The reaction to this phenomenon has been a mixture of amazement, admiration, envy and, above all, curiosity to know how it is done. This book addresses these questions through a study of the modernization of three of the most successful Asian societies - Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong. It analyzes the basic concepts which underly the process and details the ways in which traditional values have been adapted to serve new demands. It includes a comprehensive examination of the educational systems. And finally, it makes abundantly clear the price, in human and cultural terms, which has to be paid.