The starting point is the assumption that civic transformations and China cannot be understood and analysed only on the grounds of the Western, normative understanding of the individual and the society. It is emphasised that as a rule Western analysis of the development of China - beginning with Western experience and notions describing the process of development - cannot be a useful universal benchmark for defining social changes in the Chinese process of modernisation. The study reaches a conclusion that despite great changes of civic and social, economic, and political nature, the human is still not treated as an individual making independent decisions, but as a creature that is evaluated in relationship to the community and to the whole. This does not mean that there are no individual orientations or civic groups originating within the existing limits. It is emphasised that despite all the occurring changes, the existing identity may still be defined as cultural and state identity, yet increasingly opening to other civilisations.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted in San Francisco stressed that human rights are indivisible and inalienable and that human dignity is inviolable. However, it continues to be a controversy over how human dignity can be best manifested. In the Chinese history of ideas no evidence can be found to support the thesis that inalienable human rights stem from human nature. Since the 1970s human rights have been a subject of discussion in China. Previously, the human rights notion was characterised as an imperialist institution. While the western countries see in personal dignity consistency with the development of democracy and pluralism, China maintains that it is providing the conditions for existence that creates the universal dignity of human beings. Priority is given to the people's rights to existence, development and wellbeing, which means that the most important thing is to provide the population with. food, clothing and shelter. Human rights in China is one of the most explosive political themes in debates between the West and China. The more China opens up, the more political, economic and cultural contacts will be created, improving the prospects for democratisation and human rights situation in China.
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For the West, China is a synonym of breaking human rights. The study proves that in result of the major transformations in their country, the Chinese hardly care for such sensible awareness, because their development strategy runs between what is traditional and what is necessary to achieve modernity. The work attempts to portray how China is learning, in cooperation with the West. In the traditional manner, the Chinese take over everything that can be favourable for their changes. Shifts in the understanding of human rights are visible, which, however, does not mean a takeover of the western model of understanding. The pragmatic and cultural approach to political and economic actions is the focus of attention here. The conclusion reached says that the development strategy of China may bring about the establishment of a competitive model. The study portrays how the new models of life and social mentalities - including changes in civilisation awareness, opening to the process of globalisation, in which China is among the decision makers - being the result of the sped up growth of the country.