I would like to agree, but I can't entirely. I grew up in NYC close to Chinatown and have several asian american friends, mostly chinese.
The one thing I noticed in my friends, and their freidns, and other chinese acquaintences I have had, is that they are extraordinarily motivated by fear. Rather than "moving towards" a positive goal, it always seemed to me that the mindset "moved away" a negative state.
To me, that's a 1/2 empty mentality and regardless of entrepenurship, I don't think it comes from a place of self reliance and resourcefulness, or a positive state of mind - rather it comes from a place of terrible fear and anxiety over a real or percieved threat, potential poverty, or an otherwise state of 'want.'
That isn't necessarily a mindset that leads one to conservative thinking. Thinking that simply because a culture takes to entrepeneurship that they will make natural conservatives isn't a well founded conclusion.
Does this jive with anyone else's experiences?
That is a powerful force. It might bump up the need to work hard, study hard, learn the language well, all that. Someone who has a distinctive look different from most of those around would want to make himself as desireable as possible to be accepted in the community. When I go to the Gospel church to play with the gospel choir and combo and I am the most different looking one there I need to calm down a little extra and get with the music. It's a natural thing. People around can help by relaxing a little, too.
I would say the fear of failure is a powerful motivation for one to work for success. It also makes one conservative. Isn't self-reliance one of those conservative values.
If the Asian-Americans play their cards right, they can easily become the swing vote in key, close elections.