Why Japan is a Rich Country | Cultural Perspective

“Culture is a share, learned, and symbolic system of values, ideas, beliefs and practices that shapes and influence our perceptions and behavior”. We can draw following things from this definition of culture:

1. Culture is shared by members of society. There is no culture of one.

2. The process of learning one’s culture is known as “enculturation”

3. Culture is unavoidable subjective.

4. Culture exists inside our collective minds.

5. Culture is what we collectively think or want it to be.

6. Culture must be learned and constantly reproduced.

7. When culture Is reproduced, there occur significant variations.

The significance of culture includes that “Culture has power”. Culture can shape and influence the behavior of individuals at both individual and collective level. We can best explain the phenomenon’s of terrorism and genocide from the perspectives of culture.

It has been argued by the “Culturalists” that the culture of “Confucius” has plated a great role in the development of the Japan. Japanese believe in “Harmony” lead to economic cooperation.. one of the main arguments given by the Confucianism is:

1. Respect for authority

2. Faith

3. Loyalty

4. Respect for elders

5. Harmony

In japan workers used to give up their personal gains for the collective good. There was a sense of “Self-sacrifice”. Japanese workers had the capacity to work as monolithic unit also contributed to the economic development of Japan. The Confucius ideals also includes, Thriftiness, Self-sacrifice, and education. The Japanese workers were called by the name of “Bushido” or the “Way of Warrior”. Work for the factory was equal to the word for the Nation and King.

Japan’s Meiji leaders also changed the “Education culture” of Japan to inculcate new values and ideals in the minds of the children. Japan’s workers were famous for the hard work in the whole world. The culture of meritocratic society was introduced in which everyone had the chance to reach the top.

To watch more videos you can click on the following links:

Why poor countries are poor | Rational Choice Perspective |