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Confucianism In Japan

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As we have learnt in class, it was the common characteristic of all societies before the 18th century that decisions about the priority of wants and the allocation of resources necessary to satisfy them were “dictated by central authority and reinforced by custom.” The law of tradition kept decision making “outside of the scope of individual action” (Rima, 2001). According to an economist Donald W. Katzner, it was mostly the religious dogmas of Buddhism and Confucianism that determined the central values of the society in Japan. The fulfillment of obligations as well as the “furtherance of group harmony” rather than the pursuit of self-interest always determined the Japanese workers’ behavior. As it is explained by the Japanese academic of …show more content…

Thinkers in Japan were forced “to reassess the notion of agriculture as the source of all wealth”, and, in the end, they accepted the existence of the money economy and analyzed its workings and consequences for the social order. A few contemporaries, including Kumazawa Banzan, explained that it was the separation of the warrior, or samurai, class from the land that “promoted the monetarization of the economy” which, in turn, led to the enrichment of the merchant class and, in the end, to the “erosion of the Tokugawa status system.” These sorts of ideas gave rise to moral philosophy which legitimized the pursuit of profit and, with the ideas of Kaiho Seiryō, led to a vision of “the market as the measure of all things.” During a few decades preceding the Meiji Restoration, topics of controversy were the advantages and disadvantages of foreign trade, as well as the role of the government as an “active agent in the promotion of economic development.” We could point out Yokoi Shōnan who called for the “complete dismantling” of the existing feudal restrictions on “occupational mobility and inter-domain trade” and saw the state as playing a central role in promoting economic development (Morris-Suzuki, 1989). It is important to note, however, in regards to the Japanese monarchy or the Emperor Institution, that sovereign dictatorship was always denounced, as is strongly argued by Hajime Nakamura. Japan's rulers dealt with people with affection and

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Feiler first attempts at tearing down the social customs of Japan are unsuccessful. Japanese schools inspire strict obedience and conformity within their students and teachers. To the Japanese, exams are more important than individualism. “As it had done in the past, Japan adopted a foreign prototype and transformed its alien character by implanting a Japanese heart.” Feiler’s findings are based on the transformation of Japan’s school system by the Americans after WWII in which an emphasis of “democracy” and “individual freedom” were meant to be the core of student’s education.

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220 Words | 1 Pages

In the 19th century china and japan were under pressure when the west opened up foreign trade and relations. The industrial revolution created a wide gap between them and the west and left them behind in technology and the military. They both signed unequal treaties that forced them to open their ports and cities to foreign merchants. Both country's reacted very differently and this will be the topic of this essay.

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A Japanese industrialist stated (document 5) that they are able to pay farmer workers for little to nothing because when they come to the city “all he or she has to do is earn enough to maintain his or her own living.” The Japanese were able to take advantage of this cheap source of labor. In addition, the British

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947 Words | 4 Pages

Japan’s economic development had been shaped in various ways, including Japanese internal forces, and external forces from other countries. Although during the Tokugawa era, the Japanese were very closed off from the world for 250 years, once Commodore Perry and the rest of America threatened Japan with war Japan was forced to open ports for trade. Due to the Japanese lack of weapons the trading environment was very biased on the side of America with unequal trade. The shogun was once a Samurai and is now almost in control of Japan.

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1412 Words | 6 Pages

Feudalism was a key component of life for those in both Western Europe and Japan. The two systems developed independently from each other yet still held a multitude of similarities. However, their many differences out shadow the unique parallels they shared. The major discrepancies between the two are found in each’s code, structure and regulations. Documents nine and ten, break down the feudal structures of Western Europe and Japan.

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788 Words | 4 Pages

The European king and the Japanese shogun were both at the top of their social structures. In European society the king had complete power over everything including military services, land, laws and more. However, in Japanese society there was an Emperor and while he didn’t have much power he was like a god, to whom all respect was directed. The

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Some historians believe the Ottoman Empire and Japan were relatively different from c. 1750 to 1900 due to the differing political structures, including the stability of each country’s government and means of operation in response to enlightenment philosophy and industrialization. However, due to both countries’ thriving economic structures because of similar reform changes and social resistance against conforming to modernization ideals, their development from c. 1750 to 1900, during which industrialization faced both countries, is drawn to be very similar to each other. To begin with, the adoption of western ideals and enlightenment principles widened the gap between the Ottomans and the Japanese. Not only did the Ottoman Empire suffer massive corruption in the 1800s, prompting its rapid decline, but it also experienced civil unrest across the country as a result of ethnic nationalism, resulting in a weak central government.

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When related to Immanuel Wallerstein’s “World Systems Analysis”, the Meji Restoration developed Japan into a core country. As a dominant power, they took advantage of periphery countries for labor and every opportunity to become a world

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During the economic power play, the Us played direct offense to the Japanese subtle defense. While the Us was interested in Japan as a source of coal to have better access to China a global economy the Japanese wanted to maintain their Tokugawa Government and self-independence while profiting from Western technologies. Japan’s foreign policies also affected their domestic affairs. In contrast, the US sought to assert its own economic power on the global scale. Both nations saw the power in new technologies in particular militaristic weaponry, valued modesty, and had a strong sense of pride and nationality.

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The feudal system, also known as feudalism, was an assertive legal and social system that helped established the political, social, and economic state in Japan and Western Europe. It was applied with divergent interpretations in these two regions. This particular system did affect political life and institutions in both Japan and Western Europe. Despite the conflicts it caused, feudalism helped preserve law and order, and succeeding at industrial development in both Western Europe and Japan. Although these two civilizations acquired the same structure, each one took on their own approach.

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“What I am about to relate is anything but a pleasant story… For it is a story of such crime and horror as to be almost unbelievable… I believe it has no parallel in modern history.” These are words taken from the diary of George Fitch, one of the heroic leaders of the Nanking Safety Zone in Nanking, China. What happened there during the six weeks of Japanese occupation in December 1937 during the Second Sino-Japanese War is one of the foremost atrocities ever committed in the history of humankind. This is the story of the Rape of Nanking. After suffering the humiliation of being forced to sign treaties with the United States and the compulsory ending of Japan’s economic isolation in 1853, the Japanese people were left with a fierce resentment of foreign powers, which bolstered a wave of nationalistic sentiments and the adoption of the samurai ethic of bushido as the moral

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Thesis Confucianism is the most dominant school of philosophy of China. In result of the many contradictions in the teachings of Confucius and the Buddha, Buddhism faced many objections when trying to spread its roots in China. Many confucians strongly disagreed with Buddhism because it disagreed with the fundamentals established in the chinese way of thinking. Use of the Documents

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1219 Words | 5 Pages

Starting from the Meiji period, an emperor’s role in society was to act as a god. The politicians in the Japanese government emphasized this role and, to a moderate extent, created a cult following. The factor would be whether Hirohito’s outward appearance to the public matched his power in the government, or if it was a ruse. To get a clearer understanding how much power Hirohito exactly had, his and the United States’ actions post World War II need to be investigated. It is widely known that during World War II Japan had committed a plethora of atrocities.

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242 Words | 1 Pages

The tension between Japan and the U.S. grew as Japan quickly became one of the five great powers of the world. Japan’s navy advancements raised concerns for the U.S. of a impending war preparation. The discrimination laws in California also created great tensions between the two countries. The land law that prevented Japanese colonists from owning land backfired against Japan’s plan for territorial expansion. “The California land holding question, which is to be decided soon by a referendum, is one that is causing intense indignation in Japan, and Japanese newspapers declare that America is unwilling to give Japanese equal treatment with other nations.”

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1016 Words | 5 Pages

Confucian philosophy is built on the relationships between people in society and the government as well as, having strong moral character. Confucian philosophy had an effect on China and the Asian society as a whole, socially and politically. Everything that Confucius believed had to do with relationships and the way in which people interact. He believed in hierarchical relationships that are based on age, gender, and status. Confucius is the founder of Confucianism.

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