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Prewar Japan was among the most intellectually vibrant, politically diverse, and artistically challenging cultures of the 20th century. This book is a great por

Prewar Japan was among the most intellectually vibrant, politically diverse, and artistically challenging cultures of the 20th century. This book is a great portrait of the period: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674021297 https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674021297 The primary problem with why the country devolved into fascism is that democracy was never really expanded, allowing wealthy, right wing cadres to capture exclusive control of state power and outlaw political inclusion of their opponents (several left wing parties were made illegal following universal male enfranchisement in the late 1920s). But there was actually widespread internal opposition to the Japanese imperial project, well into the 1930s, until fascists used violence, imprisonment, and intimidation of its leadership to stop it.

ideals 6y ago
This sounds harrowingly similar to current US trajectory
- Stupulous 6y ago
  I think you may be overreacting to the current state of affairs. We have a right-wing Senate, a left-wing House, a rather balanced (slightly right) Supreme Court, and a right-wing Executive. 5 years ago we had a left-wing Senate, right-wing House, balanced (I think slightly left) Supreme Court, and left-wing Executive. Obviously vote, but I think it's a pretty sure win for the left in the Executive here in a few months. Outlook is pretty good for the left in congress. I find it hard to foresee right-wing fascism taking control and illegalizing the left in the near future. Of course we should always be concerned about fascism because it has devastating and existential consequences. But I don't see cause for alarmism now, and every false alarm weakens the call to action when it is needed. For now it seems like voting works.
  - valuearb 6y ago
    The Whitehouse, the Senate and the House of Representatives are nearly a lock to be controlled by the Democratic part at year end. Trump always had a tough uphill battle to ever be re-elected (worse poll numbers in modern history) but the Coronavirus has made reelection nearly impossible.
dhosek 6y ago
I found the Barefoot Gen manga an informative account of on-the-ground opposition to the war as well as including an account of surviving the bombing of Hiroshima. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0865710953/donhosek http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0865710953/donhosek

ideals 6y ago

This sounds harrowingly similar to current US trajectory

Stupulous 6y ago
I think you may be overreacting to the current state of affairs. We have a right-wing Senate, a left-wing House, a rather balanced (slightly right) Supreme Court, and a right-wing Executive. 5 years ago we had a left-wing Senate, right-wing House, balanced (I think slightly left) Supreme Court, and left-wing Executive. Obviously vote, but I think it's a pretty sure win for the left in the Executive here in a few months. Outlook is pretty good for the left in congress. I find it hard to foresee right-wing fascism taking control and illegalizing the left in the near future. Of course we should always be concerned about fascism because it has devastating and existential consequences. But I don't see cause for alarmism now, and every false alarm weakens the call to action when it is needed. For now it seems like voting works.
- valuearb 6y ago
  The Whitehouse, the Senate and the House of Representatives are nearly a lock to be controlled by the Democratic part at year end. Trump always had a tough uphill battle to ever be re-elected (worse poll numbers in modern history) but the Coronavirus has made reelection nearly impossible.

dhosek 6y ago

I found the Barefoot Gen manga an informative account of on-the-ground opposition to the war as well as including an account of surviving the bombing of Hiroshima. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0865710953/donhosek http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0865710953/donhosek