Recovery of Japan from its Complete Collapse in the Year 1945 - Essay Example

Recovery of Japan from its complete collapse in the year 1945 of the of the of the Recovery of Japan from its Complete Collapse in the Year 1945 Government policies accorded a favorable environment for the near miraculous development of Japan from ashes to success. The following discussion proves this contention. During the final stages of World War II, the US dropped nuclear bombs upon Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These overwhelming events transpired in August 1945 (Ogawa and Sasaki 2011, 890), and were perceived by the majority of the Americans as just retribution for the inhuman torture of prisoners by the Japanese and the treacherous attack upon Pearl Harbor, in which a large number of civilians had been killed (Yagami 2009, 304). Despite the vast destruction, Japan made a tremendous recovery after World War II. Several macroeconomic factors had brought about this recovery. Some of these factors were high investment rations supported by the mobilization of savings, significant progress in technology, flexibility in the supply of labor, and external conditions that were not inimical to Japan (Otsubo 2007). In the aftermath of its nuclear bombing, Japan embarked upon a process of economic development that was aimed at attaining parity with the economy of the industrialized countries. There was national consensus regarding this objective, and macroeconomic policies were primarily aimed at deploying funds to the sectors that were crucial for the development of the economy (Otsubo 2007). With respect to the industries producing tradable goods, Japan achieved considerable success. In the initial stages, the domestic markets of Japan were provided with considerable protection. Subsequently, a certain amount of liberalization was introduced, as the Japanese manufacturers expressed a desire to venture into foreign markets (Otsubo 2007). As such, government policies on market liberalization helped Japan to recover rapidly from the shattering effects of the war. In addition, Japan has experienced two periods of economic growth, since the nation had been opened by the Tokugawa government, in the nineteenth century, to Western commerce. In the year 1868, the first of these periods was commenced and was in continuation during World War II. The second period commenced in 1945 and remained in force till the 1960s. During these periods, Japan underwent drastic economic, political, and social changes (Dolan and Worden 1994). The outcome was that Japan underwent extraordinary change in the economic, political, and social areas. As a result, Japan emerged a world power. The Japanese government played a major role in achieving this great development feat. It strongly promoted a national revolution by providing advice and planning that addressed every feature of Japanese society (Dolan and Worden 1994). The national objective during these epochs was to endow Japan with such power that it could never again be subjected to threats. One of the chief factors responsible for this success was the postwar education system, which played a major role in the process of modernization. Japan was distinguished with the highest literacy rate and exemplary education standards. These extraordinary features were instrumental in enabling Japan to usher in a technologically advanced economy. Furthermore, strict discipline was maintained in the Japanese schools, which further contributed to the formation of an efficient work force (Dolan and Worden 1994). The government’s proactive involvement in the education system of the country, enabled Japan to become a technologically advanced nation. Moreover, during the initial postwar years, the emphasis was upon restoring the destroyed industrial capacity. To this end vast investments were made in coal, electric power, chemical fertilizers, and Iron and steel. To the credit of the Japanese, by the mid-1950s, production levels had attained the prewar levels. Moreover, freedom from the imperious demands of a military dominated government, the economy regained its lost momentum (Dolan and Worden 1994). Moreover, the economy developed to such an extent that its growth rate was far superior to that of the previous epochs. Thus, for the period from 1953 to 1965, the gross domestic product (GDP) increased by more than nine percent per annum. The corresponding figures for manufacturing and mining was 13%, construction 11%, and infrastructure 12%. By the year 1965, the sectors of construction, infrastructure, manufacturing, and mining were employing more than 41% of the labor force, while the proportion of the labor force employed in agriculture was just 26% (Dolan and Worden 1994). The Japanese as a people, possess the rare trait of being able to replicate and apply the skill and knowledge gleaned from the Western nations. This feature of the Japanese has been credited with being the single most important factor responsible for the phenomenal growth of this nation. Some of the other factors responsible for the amazing advance of this society, include improved business condition and import of technologies (Takada 1999). This commendable ethos was shared by the political characters who made major contributions to this development, thereby significantly increasing the momentum of economic growth. Thus, within 40 years of its destruction in World War II, Japan ensured its reconstruction and achieved the enviable status of a major economic power (Takada 1999). This has been regarded as a singular instance of economic growth in modern times. Prior to its crushing defeat in World War II, Japan’s energies had been focused upon achieving power, via war. This was the primary cause for its destruction. A major proportion of its commercial and industrial buildings and the equipment present in these buildings had been destroyed. Moreover, a large quantity of the plant and machinery that was being employed in production had been scrapped, in order to provide metal for armaments (Takada 1999). Several difficulties were faced by the Japanese economy, and one of the most pressing was unemployment. With the disbanding of the military, approximately 7.6 million troops were left to fend for themselves. The cessation of military production and other related jobs left an additional four million people without employment. In addition, around 1.5 million Japanese were compelled to return from abroad. In this manner, the number of unemployed swelled to a staggering 13.1 million. All the same, a major unemployment problem did not arise in Japan, due to absorption of this surplus workforce into the agriculture sector. This sector required around 18 million individuals, which was four million more than that before World War II (Takada 1999). The priority production system refers to the policy of allocating limited resources to a few strategically significant industries, with a view to triggering recovery. This constitutes a form of economic planning, which has the capacity to produce beneficial overlapping effects upon the economy in its entirety (Ohno 2006, 153). Diligent economic planning by the government enabled Japan to attain phenomenal in the shortest possible time. During the course of overcoming its difficult economic situation, after World War II, Japan inculcated the habit of having in place a high rate of saving in conjunction with a low rate of consumption. This made it feasible to rely to a major extent upon indigenous capital resources during the development stage of the nation. Gradually, comparatively high rates of growth output and per capita income were realized in Japan (Hollerman 1979, 707). In addition to the traditional labor intensive sector, Japan developed a modern industrial sector. This served to render its economy institutionally dualistic. The concentration obtaining in the modern sectorial Japan has been described as private collectivism (Hollerman 1979, 707). It is a well-recognized fact that the Japanese government has played a key role in promoting economic modernization. There has been a significant transition, in Japan, towards a nation that is much more accountable, inclusive, and involved. This has been in the realm of the role of the state in society. Thus, there is an increasing trend to share power by the central bureaucracy with local governments, political parties, and non-governmental entities. However, this transition in power has not resulted in a reduction in the involvement or power of the central government (Haddad 2012, 184). The actual process of sharing power has, in fact, increased the central government’s power. There has been a substantial increase in the areas where the government enacts an important role. This has been accompanied by an increase in the systems, whereby citizens can ensure the accountability of the government. (Haddad 2012, 185). Thus, the process of democratization in Japan has produced a more accountable, diverse, and involved nation. The history of Japan clearly illustrates that democratization is a process that is fraught with considerable erraticism. At the same time it has been demonstrated that the process is not accidental. Moreover, at every important stage, critical decisions have to be taken, political compromises have to be undertaken, and new institutions have to be founded. Many of these interventions tend to fashion the form that democracy will acquire in the future (Haddad 2012, 71). During its occupation by the Allied Powers, Japan was transformed into a democratic state. Japan experienced rapid economic growth during the 1960s and 1970s. This growth was actively pursued by the Japanese government, which enacted a proactive role in this regard. A channelizing of the hard work, innovation, and technological skill of the people was achieved by this governmental intervention. According to the above discussion, it can be surmised that governmental interventions in all the sectors, boosted the economy of Japan in a near miraculous manner. This ensured Japan’s recovery from the terrible losses of the war. Like the proverbial Phoenix, the Japanese emerged from the ashes of the nuclear disaster, as one of the foremost among the industrialized nations. The story of this nation is a source of inspiration to the developing nations. 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