How important are perceptions to the study of politics? Can we speak of 'pure' Eastern & Western, Northern and Southern political forms?

In recent times, many Eastern countries have begun to acclaim “Asian Values” as principles for the West to perceive and respect. There may be numerous reasons for this phenomena, however the strongest one would have to be that they feel endangered by the sudden influence of Western culture and demands for democratisation and liberalisation as a result of their past economic expansion. This essay will endeavour to analyse the perceptions and values of the East and West, and also establish why there are different political forms around the world. Also, it is important to realise that there have been many anti-western and anti-eastern attitudes and sentiments since the end of the colonialism which will be examined in this paper. “It is not simply a matter of pitting the virtues of Asia against the vices of the West.”

Encouraged by modernisation, global politics is being reconfigured along cultural lines. Political boundaries increasingly are redrawn to agree with cultural on...