Exploring Confucianism Development Path In China From The Perspective Of Rational Choice Theory

Rational Choice Theory is a very important pattern in Sociology of Religion. There is also a re-establishing symptom of Confucianism. Many scholars talk about the future of Confucianism. At first, I introduce Rational Choice Theory, and compare it with Secularization theory, in order to know the origin and the development of Rational Choice Theory. We can find out the contribution of this theory to Sociology of Religion. Then, I analyze the rational factors of Confucianism by comparing with other religions. Confucianism is suitable for Rational Choice Theory. At last, I talk about the possible way of Confucianism in the future, and the significance of the revival of Confucianism.In the first chapter, I describe the situation of Confucianism to explain the necessity of Confucianism, and describe the social reality to explain the possibility to analyze the situation by Rational Choice Theory. In the second chapter, there is a brief introduction of Rational Choice Theory. I try to explain the progress which is the theory made in Sociology of Religion by comparing with Secularization theory. In the third chapter, I study the rational factors of Confucianism through the perspective of Rational Choice Theory to explain the possibility of the masses choose Confucianism as their belief. In the fourth chapter, I am trying to describe the historic revival of Confucianism. Through the revivals, we can know the development of Confucianism in history, so that the course can be a reference to the modern Confucianism. In the fifth chapter, Confucianism should be reconstructed to adapt to modern society. Scholars should try their best to wake up the memory of Confucianism in civil minds. In the sixth chapter, Confucianism will make sense to the construction of socialist culture, civil faith and social morality. Finally, I make a brief conclusion to this essay.