Prevailing approaches to policy issues in many Western countries in recent decades have
reflected a characteristic cast of mind - neoclassical in economics, liberal and individualistic in politics,
value neutral and universalistic in policy. This paper analyses some of the foundations of this cast of
mind, deep-seated in Western intellectual history, and reviews work in several different areas pointing to a
different paradigm. This analysis is set in the context of the rise of Asian nations with quite diverse
traditions, and the consequent need for effective interchange across cultural barriers.