Blog #15

Cardinal Principles of the National Entity of Japan

                                    1937

           

                        Kokutai No Hongi or the Cardinal Principles of  National Entity of Japan was compiled by the Ministry of Education in 1937.  This Japanese wartime book is based on the Japanese national structure.  Kokutai is linked to the spiritualism of Shinto.   Kokutai or National Essence serve to inspire the unifying ideology and provided a national political framework for Japan as a system of constitutional monarchy which they had borrowed this idea under the Meiji Constitution of 1889.   The Cardinal Principles of National Entity of Japan states that loyalty means self-sacrifice. The Cardinal Principles accredits the Meiji restoration for introducing efforts to set up some type of educational system for teaching the Japanese ideas of the West in national Science, mental sciences.  Additionally, Confucian ethics during the Tokugawa period (1603-1867) led the martial spirit of Japan.   Confucianism and filial piety became an essential function in which obedience to authority was stressed.   Filial piety emphasized duty and described the correct way to act towards one’s parents.  This consists of many factors such as being polite, considerate, respectful, helpful, obedient, dutiful, and loyal.   This attitude embraces the spirit of harmony embracing Japan as a family nation.   Japan valued bushido or the way of the warrior.  Bushido represented a sense of obligation binding the master with the servant.   Bushido was the code of conduct for the samurai class of Japan.  Bushido became the soul of Japan in which qualities that were admired consisted of loyalty, honor, self-control, kindness, politeness and courage.  Through Buddhism, Shintoism, and Confucianism, Bushido’s moral guidelines were handed down over hundreds of years by the Japanese warriors or Samurai.  

            I believe that replacing feudal lords or daimyo as the object of loyalty and sacrifice contributed to Japan’s nationalism. Cardinal Principles of National Entity of Japan also strengthened wartime civilians’ obedience.   I conclude that Bushido’s code of conduct of the samurai class influenced moral concepts among the Japanese culture.  Furthermore, I accredit Kokutai gave the Japanese people a sense of identity and management. 

Blog #14

The Japanese Difference: The Rise of a New East Asian Power

            During the 19^th century, Japan was ruled through a central bureaucracy, Tokugawa Shogun, that tied alliances to Daimyos and Samurai.  Many factors bought change to Japan’s development thereafter.   The  Okugawa shogunate was against opening the country up for trade.  Previously,  Japan had refused trade with Russia around the 1800s.   The Tokugawa Shogun was overthrown and the Meiji government took over.  However, Japan didn’t want to end up like China and not trade with the U.S.  Meanwhile, Japan continued to allow the Dutch to trade in their port of Nagasaki.   Commodore Mathew, representing United States, wanted Japan to open up trade with America. Eventually, Japan realized opening up trade to foreigners introduced new ideas and Japan’s industrialization began.   Through changes in law codes, tax systems and currencies, Japan borrowed reforms from the West but also wanted to keep their own culture.  As Japan industry expanded in textiles, steel, and shipbuilding, this lead to growth.  With shipbuilding, this created Japan with a modern Navy.   Additionally, this moved the Japanese from farming jobs into factory and office jobs.  Finally, Japan’s trade with the United States produced advantages of the new access to modern technological developments.   This trade allowed Japan to modernize.

In my opinion, Japan’s reaction to United States’ pressure to open up trade proved beneficial.  This allowed tension to ease; however, it brought up differences in attitude.  Additionally, this allowed Japan to be more powerful than China as China opposed borrowing other cultures’ ideas at that time.   I conceive that China’s rulers failed to understand that achievements meant embracing change to institute modernization.  I believe that Japan’s interest in gaining knowledge from the West, led their expansion ahead of China.  This was due to China’s rulers who wanted to preserve traditional beliefs and discouraged contact with foreigners during the 19^th century.

Blog #13 Catholic Social Teaching

Colonialism and Economic Development

            Chapter Seven discusses the social sins of  Colonialism.  With Colonialism rose an imbalance difference between the rich and the poor economies.   With colonialism brought racism,  misconceptions, and stereotypes especially of the Africans.   Many catholic missionaries were involved with others in illegal activity or wrongdoings during the colonial era.  Western Christianity began to spread when ships that carried priests, preachers, and missionaries were vocal in identifying the injustices such as slave trade and murders.   Catholic Social Teaching identifies two sets of ideas that can be addressed to help the situation of poverty.  The first set of idea that the Church reiterated the moral obligation to care deeply about the world’s poverty and to assist others.   All people are part of humanity and humans must ignore the differences of race, religion, and nation.   In Pope John XXIII’s 1961 letter Mater el Magistra, he identifies global poverty.   Pope John describes that brotherhood  must be a priority and humans must resist the evils of selfishness and unity must exist for all who share the earth.  The second way Catholic social teaching addresses poverty is by having believers brainstorm their suggestions for improvement which  allows the believers to be part of the solution.   In Pope Paul VI writings, he identified the distinct inequalities of the rich and poor nations.   He campaigned land reforms in the Third World, an end of export policies that curved economies by favoring goods that would be most profitable for a few, and not useful by the majority, and more international aid to support micro-development so that farms and townspeople in Africa, Asia, and Latin America can receive credit.   Furthermore, John Paul II continued the global injustice that Pope Paul VI started.   John Paul II wanted a restructuring of worldwide patterns of trade, production, and finance that would spread economic progress.   John Paul II identifies the two social sins which are “all-consuming desire for profit” and the “thirst for power.” Finally, progress was made in incremental  stages to ease the poor from suffering through social responsible people.    

In my opinion, most development is history have meant violence and threats from invaders through colonialism.  Historically, Colonialism had been unfair in respect to human rights for those who had experienced this change at that time.  I suppose Pope Paul VI and John Paul II  social teachings inspired the spirit and vision of individual rights and democracy throughout history. Finally, today regarding social justice, the division between the rich and the poor is still in existence because minimum-wage jobs don’t offer benefits which doesn’t help people escape poverty.  I concur that this is valid because I am working a part-time,  minimum wage job that offers no benefits.

Blog #12

Economies of Coercion:   Forced Labor and Power of the State

King Leopold II of Belgium gained areas in central Africa.  King Leopold II of Belgium enslaved the people of Congo for rubber trade.  He killed and estimated 20 million people.  Because there was neglect and no form of organized government control, Europeans were free to adopt brutal policies of kidnapping, mutilation, robbery, and murder in order to obtain desired labor and resources.  King Leopold’s rule not only led to the killing and maiming of native people, but he starved and overworked them. In 1885, Leopold announce Congo Free State under his direct control.  Congo Free State became an economic, environmental, cultural, and human disaster for the Congo people. That meant, all other European powers could buy and sell in the territory without much fees and taxes.  Leopold forced labor on many villagers to collect rubber.   This force frequently attacked a village, overwhelmed it with weapons and training, holding the women and children hostage and forcing the men to meet a rubber quota.  It was not until Edmund Morel and Roger Casement, British men, had forced Leopold to sell the Congo to the state of Belgium in 1908. It was because of King Leopold’s forced labor that started the first human rights movement.

I believe that Leopold harsh autocratic rule was unsuccessful because it led to population declined.  Additionally, the rubber collection suffered because the slaves couldn’t take care of their plot where it was most needed. Subsequently, the inhuman amputation of hands due to failure to collect rubber led to a senseless genocide massacre.  I accredit much of Leopold mistreatments was to exploit every human being as much as he could through his power.  Finally, Leopold’s injustice should demonstrate to society now the importance of human rights governed by our constitution.

Chapter 17 Documents

Samuel Smiles – Thrift

            Smiles elaborates about the Brits themselves being slaves in the past.   Evidentally, the wealthy and the privilege does not understand the moral virtue of  hard work.   Smiles’ views Adam Smith, “Wealth of Nations” differently than Adam who describes an economic system that is automatic and that free-market economy brought wealth to Britain.  Smiles discusses money and not to prevent any waste by useless spending.  He notes that a person should spend less than one earns.   Smiles emphasizes to manage one’s resources and urging people to be smart and prudent with their money.   He embraces his own ethics of hard work and duty.

            Smiles ideas do not apply now.   A state can’t make the economy  grow in a way that is fair because leaders tend to be dishonest when they start making profits.  Today, economic issues are handled differently by all governments that must work to implement an economic policy to shape their state. When Smith theories was instituted in Britain, their economies created wealth.   I believe we live more in Adam Smith’s world than Samel Smiles world.