> From: "Kitsuno" <samurai-listowner@...>
>
>Sunday, March 12, 2006 Failytimes.com
>
>Where 30m people kept the peace for 250 years
>
>
Except for the occaisional rebellion.
>KARACHI: Which place in the world is famous for having a population of
>30 million people who managed to keep total peace for more than 250
>years?
>
Total peace? Politely put, hogwash.
>Thus it comes as no surprise that Japanese expert, Tsunenari Tokugawa,
>the 18th descendant of the man who started the Tokugawa period,
>believes that Pakistan can only progress if it has values and
>education two things that are essential for the growth of a nation as
>Japan has seen.
>
>
That might be true.
>Giving a historical account of Japan's progress, Tokugawa said that
>the Tokugawa period in Japan lasted from 1603 to 1868 during which
>time it progressed to the heights of which England had not seen.
>
>
??? Who's better off? A Japanese peasant or a British farmer?
Especially later I think the answer is easy.
>For example, the literacy rate during this period was high-70 to 80
>percent among males and 40 to 50 percent among females. He said the
>literacy rate in most European countries and America was much lower.
>
>
Interesting quote, how is it figured? Does it count peasants or is it
just people, i.e. merchants and samurai... Following figures are from a
website, bs alert!
The situation in America roughly parallels that in England. In 1650,
male literacy in America was 60%. Between 1800 and 1840, literacy in the
Northern States increased from 75% to 90%, and in Southern States from
60% to 81%.
>More than 15,000 elementary schools, besides 260 Samurai schools and
>2,000 private academies, were established all over Japan. The teaching
>system of both regular primary schools and Samurai schools was
>separate. The standard of education was very high at that time.
>
>
I've seen Meiji textbooks, funny man.
>The top priority of Tukugawa Japan was its strong consensus on
>national security. There was strong sense of human equality under the
>class system also, Tokugawa explained.
>
>
Rotfl This sentence is awesome!!! My peasants love me, pull!
>The moral standards among the elite were high as well. He said the
>elite followed the teachings of noted Chinese philosopher, Confucius.
>Its people were environmentally conscious and no one cut down trees.
>At the most people cut branches and bark for fuel.
>
>
This guy is really so full of it that I almost can't stand it... How did
they rebuild Edo which had a tendency to burn down every few years.
>At that time, a very sophisticated market economy was flourishing in
>Japan and a large number of people were living in cities. For example,
>the population of Tokyo at that time was one million, whereas other
>important cities such as Osaka and Kyoto had a population of over
>400,000 people only.
>
>
That part is true. The rise of the great cities and the merchant class
are the major event in this era.
>and after 20 years all foreign experts were sent back.
>
Not even.
>During that period a huge transition took place and education at a higher level was also initiated in Japanese.
>
>
I forget which private university in the 1900s had an Anglo dean with
the saying like "Be bold or conquer" or something along those lines.
>>From 1868 to 1945, Japan witnessed 77 years of imperial rule during
>which it fought many wars, the last being World War II, which it
>eventually lost. Still, Tokugawa said the Japanese managed to maintain
>their values.
>
>
I wonder which ones he's talking about? Post-war Japan is an actual
democratic nation with a very modern outlook. Nobody has to sell their
daughters anymore to make ends meet.
>Tokugawa, nevertheless, admitted that Japan is facing some social
>problems. For example, young people do not marry, which is causing a
>huge problem for Japanese families. He also said that more than 25
>percent of the overall Japanese population is older than 65 years.
>
>
Raising a family in a 400 square foot apartment would tend to put a
damper on things. A friend of mine thought Stanford had made a mistake
and put her in married housing and we told her no, a 550 square foot
studio is a fairly normal size for one person in the US.
>Tokugawa also said that the old buildings were being demolished for
>new and modern plazas, which was a matter of serious concern.
>
>
Some of them should be demolished, they are firetraps! While I like old
buildings, I can sympathize with my Japanese friends who can only
remember smelly toilets, poor lighting and heating.
Thanks for sharing, it was good for a few laughs. Of course press
releases have a tendency to be overly upbeat.
Jim Eckman