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Contemporary Japan / Duncan McCargo.
LIBRA DS889 .M3813 2004
Available from offsite location
- Format:
- Book
- Author/Creator:
- McCargo, Duncan.
- Series:
- Contemporary states and societies
- Language:
- English
- Subjects (All):
- Japan--History--1945-.
- Japan.
- History.
- Physical Description:
- xii, 244 pages : illustrations, maps ; 22 cm.
- Edition:
- Second edition, revised and updated.
- Place of Publication:
- Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire ; New York : Palgrave Macmillan, 2004.
- Summary:
- Japan is one of the world's most important societies, yet remains one of the least understood. This book is designed to fill the gap for a concise but thought-provoking introduction to all aspects of its political, economic and social life set in a clear historical context. The author's starting-point is that the study of Japan is 'contested territory' where even such apparently simple questions as 'Who is in charge?' can spark disagreement and controversy among experts. To understand contemporary Japan, Duncan McCargo argues, we need to understand a range of alternative perspectives which broadly fall into three categories: a 'mainstream' approach emphasizing the similarities between Japan and other advanced democracies; a 'revisionist' perspective highly critical of Japanese political and social structures; and a 'culturalist' perspective regarding Japan as a unique society with many non-western features.
- Following a scene-setting introduction and chapter on the historical background, the core chapters focus on the economy, government and politics, society and culture, and Japan's place in the world. Fully revised and updated to take account of developments since 2000, this clearly and accessible written second edition will be required reading both for students and for general readers who want to know more about this important and fascinating country.
- Contents:
- 1 Introduction: Themes and Debates 1
- The mainstream perspective 1
- The revisionist approach 3
- The culturalist perspective 5
- The country and its people 7
- 2 Historical Background 15
- The Tokugawa period (1603-1868) 15
- The Meiji period (1868-1912) 17
- Taisho democracy 22
- Imperialism, militarism and war 23
- The American Occupation 28
- 3 The Changing Political Economy 34
- The Occupation and after 35
- Consolidating growth 38
- Savings 43
- The developmental state? 44
- The structure of Japanese business 47
- Busts and booms 58
- Accounting for the end of the 'miracle' 64
- 4 Social Structure and Social Policy 70
- Cultural characteristics 70
- Family structure 73
- The urban-rural divide 75
- Women 79
- Minorities 82
- Immigration 84
- Religions 85
- Health and demography 87
- Welfare 88
- Class and inequality 90
- 5 Governing Structures 92
- Electoral system 92
- The prime minister 94
- The cabinet and the ministries 96
- Local government 100
- The judiciary 103
- Bureaucracy and the bureaucratic-dominance debate 103
- The policy process 108
- 6 Political Society: Parties and Opposition 113
- The nature of the LDP 114
- Accounting for LDP dominance 118
- The high cost of electoral politics 120
- The politics of construction 126
- Reforming party funding 127
- Opposition parties: fragmentation and the quest for credibility 128
- Other opposition parties 132
- The labour movement 134
- The end of LDP rule in 1993 135
- Why did the LDP lose power? 138
- Changes in domestic politics and political economy 140
- Japanese politics after 1993: the second party system 142
- An emerging two-party system? 145
- 7 Socialization and Civil Society 151
- Sources of socialization and social control 151
- Policing and the criminal justice system 159
- Forms of social organization and participation 166
- Contrasting perspectives on Japanese civil society 178
- 8 Japan's External Relations 180
- Japan's self-defence forces and the US-Japan alliance 181
- Japan and Asia 189
- Japan and China 194
- Japan and North Korea 197
- Aid policy 198
- Trade and investment 201
- Internationalization 204
- Other key relationships 205
- Japan and the war on terrorism 205
- Interpreting Japan 215.
- Notes:
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 223-233) and index.
- ISBN:
- 0333961919
- 0333961927
- OCLC:
- 53325060
- Online:
- Publisher description
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