Response to 1900’s Modernization Efforts

With the rise of modernization in both latin america and japan, it was interesting to see from both articles (Latin America pg 86, De-Asianization pg 131) that back then people thought those not taking part in moderization were backwards and foolish. Any idea or way of life that was deemed irrational was disposed of for rational and scientific ways. It was thought that “barbarians” should be taught to be patriotic, modern and conform to the then standard social norms. Their Governments outward appearances were taken lightly instead for order and progress. For example, in the Latin American article (pg 85) force of arms had been used to maintain the stability of order and progress. Pertaining to my knowledge, suicide rates in japan significantly increased for the sake of progress as workers were being worked to death at their jobs. Employers stepped in by adding suicide nets to the side of high building to deter casuality rates. In addition the lecture about Brazil talked about how the elites decided that european immigrants were aloud in to purely whiten the city and promote economic growth. Another noticeable trend was that the elites got richer and the poor got poorer. In Latin America with the increase of tranportation and production of raw material came money flow for the elite. This power was used to enforce the law and take advantage of landowners such as farmers. Similar cases may have been seen in Japan and Brazil. Without a doubt, the elites of each society had something to gain from modernizing transportation, weapons and technology. The elites were the main driving force for moderization and with it came the ground works for their success and the ever declining fortune for the common folk.

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