The foundational concept is Guilt vs. Shame Cultures. The diagram below explains the difference:
I'm beginning to believe that MOST cultures are Shame-type. Their greatest fear is that others will know of their guilt.
In the first quadrant: both the person and others believe him to be guilty of the offense - the result is the same - he admits guilt, and is punished.
In the 4th quadrant: both the person and other believe him to be not guilty - the result is the same - no problem.
The 3rd quadrant is interesting, as the person knows that he is guilty, and others do not. In the Guilt Culture (old-style Christianity), that person would feel guilty, even though others do not know of his guilt. That sense of guilt was strongly reinforced by a culture that believed in God. Even if others did not know of your guilt, God would, and, therefore, you SHOULD feel guilty.
That contrast in culture was written about in The Scarlet Letter - the minister feels guilty, even though his part in the crime of adultery wasn't known. The Scarlet Letter he wore under his clothes was a manifestation of that guilt.
The protagonist, Hester Prynne, follows the judgement of a Shame culture. She has been publicly shamed by being sentenced to wear the letter, but seems not to have been at all concerned about her guilt before her pregnancy made it known, and forced the issue.
The 2nd quadrant brings up an interesting question: as the Germans have erased any mention of Nazis and their actions from their history, are modern Germans adopting the Shame Culture attitude that, since no one knows of my guilt, I am not shamed? Therefore, I can lecture others about their Fascism, while ignoring my own.
In the case of Jews' demonization in modern Euro life, Richard Landes discusses the implications of a Shame Culture anxious to throw off that shame. Read more about it here.
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