Fear and Power Distance in Central Asia

Fear and Power Distance

Power distance is one of five major dimensions describing culture. “This dimension expresses the degree to which the less powerful members of a society accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. The fundamental issue here is how a society handles inequalities among people. People in societies exhibiting a large degree of power distance accept a hierarchical order in which everybody has a place and which needs no further justification. In societies with low power distance, people strive to equalize the distribution of power and demand justification for inequalities of power.¹ Because historically “most empires have disintegrated from the inside,”² it is those cultures with the greatest historico-traditional power distance which tend to last longer.

Central Asian cultures are not all the same.  Fine nuances define the moral boundaries of each culture, and morality is usually nationalism, religion, and superstition mixed together in one big “bowl.” The power distance is greater among those cultures with a higher level of national xenophobia (closed towards outsiders).   There are varying power differences between genders, between age and generational groups, between religions, between political groups, socio-economic levels, between families, villages, tribes, and nations. 

But there are key similarities of Central Asian cultures: they are characteristically often fear and shame based, utilize shame, violence, and fear as a means to enforce the appropriate level of power distance in relationships and at each level of society.  The use of fear pervades at all levels, either fear of man or fear of supernatural powers – the jinn, curses, divination, amulets, and animistic traditions.  Research shows that national culture and national personality are not independent but statistically related.

So what does this mean for those bringing the Good News?  It means internally accepting that we will forever be the “outsiders”, even those with the best language skills among us.  There are limits to changing identities.  At the same time, realizing as Paul did that we need to do whatever we can to “cross cultural lines in the name of Christ. But only when we are deeply rooted in our own culture can we risk reaching out across a cultural chasm to people on the other side.”³  

It is imperative to not quote I Cor 9:22 in isolation.  We must be both a slave and free, depending upon the situation. Finally, at a time in history when it would be easy to allow fear to paralyze us, that is the time to move forward with humble boldness, calling what is evil “evil” and what is good “good”, to do justice and love kindness (Micah 6:8). “The primary way of serving God is through love, justice, and righteousness.”⁴

^{1.                1. http://geert-hofstede.com/dimensions.html}

^{2.                2. Cultures and Organizations: Software for the Mind, by Geert Hofstede}

^{3.                3. Kenneth Bailey: Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes: Cultural Studies in I Corinthians.}  

^{4.                4. The Prophets, Vol II. by Abraham Heschel, chapter 2}