Google| Subject | Re: Republicanism still an offence in England? (wasRe: Queen mother |
| From | ?jevind L?ng |
| Date | 2002-05-25 12:47 (2002-05-25 12:47) |
| Message-ID | <sZJH8.361$t4.804@nntpserver.swip.net> |
| Client | |
| Newsgroups | alt.fan.tolkien |
| Follows | Morgil |
| Followups | rand mair fheal (26m) > ?jevind L?ng Morgil Blackhope (9h & 28m) > ?jevind L?ng Flame of the West (12h & 43m) |
"Morgil" wrote:
Morgil[snip]
"?jevind L?ng" wrote:
the?jevind L?ng
No, the Japanese did not start by getting rid of western influences. On
slavisly.contrary, they started by copying things western, sometimes quite
someIncidentally, one thing they imported was parliamentarism, which, after
thehiccoughs, started to work and did so until the militarists took over in
They did not get rid of western people who tried to control them. What they did was open their country to traders and visitors from all countries, which really was all that anyone demanded. (The Meiji Restauration was triggered by the fact that in 1853, Commander Perry's three naval ships forced Japan to open itself to American trade, which showed that complete isolation from the rest of the world no longer was an option.) Of course, they also instituted a modernization programme for their armed forces in order to resist future demands on their territory or of any other kind. They sent people to Germany to study the German army and to Britain to study the British navy. In other words, they showed themselves mote flexible and realistic than the Chinese, who were in precisely the same situation but refused to stoop so low as to imitate anything from "foreign devils". The idea that all non-Chinese were barbarians that China could learn nothing from was too deeply ingrained in the Middle Kingdom. That delusion of grandeur cost China dearly during the ensuing hundred years.1930's.Morgil
Perhaps 'western influences' was a bit uncorrect term. They did copy western things but they got rid of western people who were trying to control them and the weak leaders who were unable to stop this.
the?jevind L?ng
After the Second World War, the Japanese Parliament once more worked
interestedway it was supposed to to - as a democratically elected insitution for law-making and debate. Alas, at present few Arab countries seem
I am doubtful. Very few Arabs seem genuinely interested in democratic reform. If they were against it simply because it comes from the West they should be similarly hostile to Western techoiology, which they are not. Still, as I said, the indifference to democratic values may change.in something similar. That might change, of course.Morgil
I blame Israel. ;-)
Seriously though, the everlasting conflict between Israel and Palestine is one major thing that is preventing this kind of progress.
?jevind
Morgil Blackhope (9h & 28m) > ?jevind L?ng
Flame of the West (12h & 43m)
2002-03-30-
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