Hildreth's "Japan as it was and is" : a handbook of old Japan by hildrethsjapanas02hild. No copyright restrictions.
Introduction
Within different countries exist different forms of freedoms. In interwar Germany and Japan, the areas of social structure underlying cultures of nationalism and totalitarianism greatly differed. Both countries were influenced by their governments' role in religion. However, the main point at which the social structures of Germany and Japan diverged was Germany's focus on antisemitism and Japan's focus on expansion.
Germany
The Weimar Republic
Antisemitism: The Others of German Society
Religion
Antisemitism: The Others of German Society
Religion
Japan
The Showa Era
The Foundation of Japanese Sociology
The Role of Family
Colonialism
Religion and State
The Foundation of Japanese Sociology
The Role of Family
Colonialism
Religion and State
Germany
The Weimar Republic
The Weimar [vahy-mahr] Republic was marked by the aftermath of World War I. The German people were opposed to the strict ramifications of the Treaty of Versailles and searched for an outlet for their frustrations. Deep-seeded humiliation and vulnerability provided a platform for the extreme antisemitism of World War Two. Feelings of humiliation and frustration aside, the era was highlighted by creativity, cultural development, and democratic experiment. However, new methods of democracy in Germany were met with resistance. Walter Rathenau, a Weimar Republic Foreign Minister, brought attention to the social upheaval, stating, “We have a Republic, the problem is we have no Republicans” [3].
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Antisemitism: THE OTHERS OF GERMAN SOCIETY
Before World War I, violent acts against Jewish Germans were not prominent. However, in the time of the Weimar Republic from 1919-1933, strong feelings of antisemitism did exist. The Jewish population was classified as “the other” in a German society divided into insiders and outsiders. The Jewish community excelled academically and in the business world during the time of Weimar, which created an air of hostility towards the group of outsiders. No matter how talented, Jewish men and women were denied by higher education and research institutions due to the growing trend of antisemitism. Thus, a Jewish person was barred from reaching his or her full potential. With limited power, the Jewish population was considered its own subset of the middle class [2].
Bertha Pappenheim documented her account of one Jewish man who was harassed on public transportation. The harassers openly blamed the man for the inflated price of market goods.
“And this dirty Jew here’s asking today hundred pounds of potatoes for one meter of apron fabric!”
The attacks grew in intensity as the targeted man responded in the language native to his heritage. Bertha Pappenheim’s account clearly displayed the Jewish person as “the other” and attests to the growing culture of antisemitism [6].
RELIGION
Germany’s religious climate during the Weimar Republic was dominated by Protestantism and Catholicism. The Nazi party sought the support of the conservative Christian sects, particularly Catholics, who often sympathized with anti-semitic thought. However, Catholic teachings did not align with the superiority of state and race, as well as aggressive warfare. The result was a split between racist Catholic groups, who aligned with Nazi thought, and anti-racist Catholic groups. Again, the Jewish community was viewed as “the other” in a religious aspect, as the “Great Commandment’ to love one's neighbors as thyself did not apply to the Jewish people [7][9].
JAPAN
THE ShOwa ERA
The Showa era, lasting from 1926 to 1989, was defined by the rulership of Emperor Showa, otherwise remembered by the name Hirohito. As Japan was a country of divine leadership, Hirohito was the center of national worship. Transitioning into a time of political hierarchy, Japan progressed into a totalitarian, ultranationalist, and fascist state throughout the Showa era. Under their militaristic emperor motivated by expansion, the Japanese embraced nationalistic, warlike behavior [1].
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The foundation of japanese sociology
Japanese sociology connected the idea of a social system as a living being with the Japanese value of order. It was from the combination of organic sociology and the value of Japanese order that Japan’s central pillar of family was created. From 1910 onward, Japanese sociology left behind the theory of the living social system and took to the idea of sociology as the social interaction between individuals. As Japan was introduced to new European and American theories between 1910 to 1930, the greatest influence upon Japanese sociology was of German origin, establishing a connection between German and Japanese thought [8].
THE ROLE OF FAMILY
Family, a strong aspect of Japanese culture, formed the basis of Japan’s social structure. The Emperor acted as the highest layer of social structure, and underneath lay the nation as a whole, which was composed of individual families [10].
Colonialism
Just like the Jewish population in German society, as did the Korean population faced oppression under Japanese colonialism. Lasting from 1910 to 1945, Japanese colonial rule over Korea was enforced through military means. Colonialism is naturally tied to assimilation. Japan sought to force its new Korean colony to assimilate to Japanese ideology, banning Korean culture and language, and even forcing the Korean people to adopt Japanese names. Furthermore, Japan utilized its Korean subjects in order to strengthen its army leading up to World War II, recruiting Korean soldiers against their will [4].
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RELIGION AND STATE
In the pre-World War Two period, Shinto was the national religion. Ritual was one of the central pillars of the religion, which tied the Japanese to religious nationalism. Shinto ritual governed the Japanese individual.
The Japanese state used the influence of Shinto to further its interests. Shinto had strong control in areas of school, ritual, and local law. In utilizing the importance of the Shinto religion, the state was able to establish social control [5].
The Japanese state used the influence of Shinto to further its interests. Shinto had strong control in areas of school, ritual, and local law. In utilizing the importance of the Shinto religion, the state was able to establish social control [5].