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Democratization and Expansionism Historical Lessons, Contemporary Challenges
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This book is not currently available for purchase Online. Please call 1-800-225-5800 to backorder. Foreword by James E. Goodby
Book Code: C7043
ISBN: 0-275-97043-4
ISBN-13: 978-0-275-97043-7
280 pages, figures, maps, photos, tables
Praeger Publishers
Publication: 6/30/2001
List Price: $119.95 (UK Sterling Price: £70.00)
Availability: Out of stock
Media Type: Hardcover
Trim Size: 6 1/8 x 9 1/4
Subjects: Reviews:
  • Democratization and Expansionism will appeal to most readers primarily for the interesting story that it tells about pre-World War II Japanese political development....[t]imely in light of current scholarly and policy attention to democratization and political development. This review provides a useful reminder that the process of political development is not necessarily uniform or linear in accordance with popular liberal orthodoxy. In addition, Ohara's exercise inspecting social coalitions may stimulate other social scientists in the future to employ related concepts within systematic comparisons of developing societies, past and present.
    —www.apsanet.org
    June 2003
Description: International environment is a crucial factor in determining the developmental path pursued by democratizing great powers. Democracies are thought to be less belligerent than traditional autocracies, yet Japan, Germany, Italy became reckless expansionist powers during their democratization processes. Based upon historical case studies, this work suggests a general pattern regarding democratization and foreign expansion by examining the degree to which the military is oriented, and the cohesion of economic social groups in the face of military assault. Ohara then attempts to draw lessons useful for present-day democratization in China and Russia. Military social groups--the king and the nobility--dominate domestic society in a traditional autocracy. A secure domestic position allows the sovereign to focus on international survival and dominance. However, during the democratization period emerging economic and social groups--bourgeoisie and labor--challenge the dominance of the military social groups. When the military regards this challenge as more threatening than international survival, the possibility for a state to become a reckless expansionist emerges. Identifying possible causal relationships and producing realistic policy prescriptions is not enough to avert the trend, Ohara contends, one must propose multiple policy options viable at any given point, as well as various fall back plans to be implemented as necessary.
Table of Contents:
  • Introduction
  • Japanese State-Formation and Industrialization and the Emergence of the Social Groups
  • Formation of Anti-Military Coalition
  • Formation of Pro-Military Coalition
  • Generalization
  • Conclusion for Policymakers: Tentative Policy Application
  • Conclusion for Scholars: A Case for Interdisciplinary Collaboration
  • Index
LC Card Number: 00-069861
LCC Class: DS888
Dewey Class: 952
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