>“Many accounts of Japanese growth attribute it mainly to special characteristics of the Japanese culture or people. The Japanese were not, however, always considered economic supermen. Western visitors in the mid-nineteenth century were often struck with the utter poverty of the people and even with the number of families that were reduced to infanticide. Although the rate of literacy was quite high by the standards of poor societies at that time, and the society had been progressing in certain respects,13 it was pathetically weak both technologically and militarily and subject to humiliation by even the most casual efforts of Western navies. In those days the conventional wisdom among Western observers was far different than it is today, with some alleging that Japanese character or culture was intrinsically incapable of economic development.
Excerpt From: Olson, Mancur. “The Rise and Decline of Nations: Economic Growth, Stagflation, and Social Rigidities.”
Why do people argue ex post facto?
I've heard a lot of these cultural arguments, but Japan and China were considered not cuturaly unlikely to industrialize throughout the 20th century, while Germany was thought of as a basket case even in the 18th century.
Why do extenstions of current trends turn out so wrong, and why do people act so like the present is infallible?
probably about people projecting their cultural penis stroking onto economic growth.
See China in the current year.
Benjamin Hernandez
Um he's obviously asking why people think they can predict the future
Cooper Howard
Meiji started in 1868. Mid-nineteenth, Japan was basically still feudal. Japan modernized as a reaction to China. China failed to modernize because of Europe trying to carve apart China. Yes, there are factors like the centralization of government and size of the nation etc, because basically being fucked by Europe, and fear of being fucked by Europe explains China and Japan. The other stuff just explains why they fucked China before trying to fuck Japan.
Liam Nelson
Thanks. I'm asking this. Yeah, but people keep projecting the present on to the future and thinking that they could predict it. Look at Kagan and Friedman, when they made predictions, or Le End of History guy.
Jayden Lewis
Because the guy who guesses right gets immortalized.
Ayden Russell
nostradomus was a lucky bloke eh?
Wyatt Ward
Historical determinism is very rampant amongst people because it makes sense to people things are the way they are because that's the way they oughta be.
Grayson Young
Asia here means particularly Persia and India, by the way.
Hudson Rodriguez
So you shouldn't be proud of your nation growing economically? And the performance of the economy has nothing to do with culture?
Jordan Ward
>should be proud what is this dumb shit. I can be happy that my country's economy is growing because it gives me more opportunity and a better lifestyle, but being proud of something I have no control over or say in is rather far fetched.
>performance of economy has nothing to do with culture? no. It has infinitely more to do with what sort of economic and policy decisions that the powers that be take.
Parker Morgan
>but being proud of something I have no control over or say in is rather far fetched.
Do you spend money? Do you work a job? If so you have some control over the economy. And therefore you "can be" proud or not proud of it.
>It has infinitely more to do with what sort of economic and policy decisions that the powers that be take.
Hahaha because Zambia and South Korea are in similarly advantageous cultural positions?
Landon Diaz
>Japanese character or culture was intrinsically incapable of economic development. This is 100% accurate though. The only reason jappos have $$$ is due to advances in (western) technology which allowed information to travel faster and wider, allowing those folk to copy western ideas and creations.
left to their own devices they be nothing more then a chinese vacation resort
Jaxon Gray
>It has infinitely more to do with what sort of economic and policy decisions that the powers that be take.
He's got a huge point though. Also their geopolitical factors as well in the case of SK.
Jackson Jenkins
>He's got a huge point though
I understand. But he is implying it's 99% his point and only 1% mine. Which is completely untrue. Culture effects development immensely.
He somehow thinks government's make their decision in a bubble separated from their own culture and people.
Tyler Cruz
Care to explain why the only nations to go from developing nation status to developed nation status are East Asian/Confucian?
Isaiah Jones
Because SK was a U.S, Japan is a U.S ally.
Japan had no breaks in indigenous rule and experience in governance and a functioning and developed civil society and good infrastructure and a developed civilian base.
SK got help from Japan and the U.S.
Anthony Evans
You're thinking of the Chinese m8. Japs have always been the master race of Asia
Jaxon Hill
Nice delusion
Caleb James
No, it's pretty much all policy. As long as special interests/monopolies and guilds aren't allowed in a country, then it will develop
Joseph Ross
>As long as special interests/monopolies and guilds aren't allowed in a country
inside or outside the country. A lot of that shit comes internally.
Aaron Ramirez
Japanese goods were still considered shit quality in the 60s and 70s much like Made in China is shorthand for shoddy crap today.
Jap shit was not considered "shit quality" in the 70's. The 70's was when Japanese products made it big, with all those Sony radios, and Honda Civics coming just in time to fuck Detroits shit up.
Evan Morales
it wasn't because Japanese cars were high quality, it's because they were more fuel efficient.
Adrian Miller
heres what I think of your Japanese expansion
Chase Powell
There's a lot of reasons you could come up with, but really it's just hubris.
Evan Smith
China wasn't a U.S. ally.
Adrian King
Also the Phillipines were.
Caleb Hughes
The nationalists were in ww2. In fact one of their leaders who is liked in taiwan and China was educated in the U.S.
Charles Parker
That's basically a non-sequitr dude. He was implying that Korea and Japan only modernized because of American help, but that doesn't make complete sense because China did without America and the Phillipines have failed despite America.
Logan Brooks
He meant 40's-50's. And yes they were considered subpar quality fakes during this time.
Easton Davis
>Taiwan >Mainland China
Two separate entities and governments user.
Angel Cooper
He's butthurt some one said niggers were subhuman on pol so he has to bring that shit here
Owen Allen
Yes i know the guy I'm referring to(forgot his name) is revered in both places
