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I personally have great skepticism about the theories extolling the wonders of "Asian values." They are often based on badly researched generalizations and frequently uttered by governmental spokesmen countering accusations of authoritarianism and violations of human rights (as happened spectacularly at the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna in 1993).

— Amartya Sen Foreword to The Passions and the Interests by Albert O. Hirschman (1996)

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Globalization is not in itself a folly: It has enriched the world scientifically and culturally and benefited many people economically as well.

To ask how things are going and whether they can be improved is a constant and inescapable part of the pursuit of justice.

The Idea of Justice (2009)

People's identities as Indians, as Asians, or as members of the human race seemed to give way — quite suddenly — to sectarian identification with Hindu, Muslim, or Sikh communities.

No less importantly, intellectual probing is needed to identify deeds that are not intended to be injurious, but which have that effect...

The Idea of Justice (2009)

Being smarter may help the understanding not only of one’s self-interest, but also how the lives of others can be strongly affected by one’s own actions.

The Idea of Justice (2009)

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