Life in the 20th Century: America and Japan

December 18, 2023

Culture is a significant part of one’s life, influencing various factors. Encyclopedia Britannica recognizes “language, ideas, beliefs, customs, codes, institutions, tools, techniques, works of art, rituals, and ceremonies, among other elements” as facets of culture, indicative of just how widespread the reach of this aspect of life is.[1] Due to the nature of the elements constructing this concept, it is common for alterations to occur as times change. While these developments rarely go against the core elements of the structure in question, grave alterations are not unheard of. Due to change being an inevitable part of the cultural landscape, a cohesive analysis of such requires focusing on a particular time. With time in mind, this writing seeks to provide a consensus regarding life in the 20^th century. Additionally, since one’s culture can look vastly different based on area, particularly with a regional shift, this writing will examine two cultures from different world regions. The chosen cultures are that of Japan and America, two starkly different areas. While this is innately a comparison of Eastern and Western nations, the selected cultures do not speak for the entirety of the East or the West.

Before delving into the specifics of each culture, a general idea of each is most important. To achieve such, one can investigate the foundations of each. Looking into these early stages provides insight that does not require speculation around core values due to the nature of foundations. With the well-documented origin of America, there is no question regarding the individualistic nature of society. This focuses on people “as unique individuals rather than as members of a group” and pushes for autonomy and free-thinking, among other things.[2] Those who took part in these foundations sought to turn away from repressive powers, declaring religious freedom in settling a new colony.[3] In addition to the inherent separation from oppressive forces, other motivations saw relevance in the form of religious beliefs.

As migrants searched for a new land to settle in, the sentiment held was one of a “sacred journey to the Promised Land,” a journey assisted by God Himself.[4] Not only did these Christian beliefs carry over to the foundation of America, they instilled morals such as “an ideology of peace and domestic harmony.”[5] Such influences are seen on August 2nd, 1776, wherein the US was officially founded with the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a document highlighting a focus on rights and man’s place under God.[6] In this sense, it is clear that religion is ingrained in U.S. ideals.

As for Japan, a murky origin is present, making it difficult to distinguish details. Despite this, an emphasis on collectivism is distinguishable, where individuals are encouraged to exemplify the Japanese idea of harmony, where “each individual knew their place within society and did exactly what was expected of them.”[7] Reischauer remarks that “the Japanese developed a picture of themselves as a racially distinct and ‘pure’ group, often portrayed in terms of a single great family,” a statement formed from early records.[8] While these records are sparse, artifacts suggest 300 BC-250 AD to be the date of origin for Japan.[9] Despite not being the focus of this discussion, these origins play a significant role in the landscape of the mentioned cultures in a general sense.

            Many significant events took place within the period of focus. Not only was this a time of expansion, war, and technological advancements, it was a time of change in everyday life. In Japan, intellectuals began to thrive, sparked by the tension of the “new era.”[10] These debates often created discussions around discontentment with society's direction and the loss of more collective ideals. Additionally, previously unaccepted displays became more normalized to the distress of older people. Marxism and anarchism saw discussion and concern of “dangerous thoughts” rose, resulting in worker strikes.[11] These strikes indicated “modern” change being unwelcome and actively harmful to many citizens' way of life.            

This disgruntlement resulted from much strife, most troubles stemming from a shift away from the sense of community Japan so innately founded upon. Such an ideological shift became clearer as cities grew, removing the once more prominent rural areas that allowed for more closeness. Additionally, poor working conditions became more present, creating a distressing environment. These troubles came to a head when disaster struck citizens in the bombing of Pearl Harbor, degrading quality of life even further as there was no longer “the means or political latitude to do anything more than support the war effort and find enough food to eat.”10

Japan’s dark period was significant, lasting around a decade. The effects of such weighed heavily on citizens until they truly recovered in 1960. Surprisingly, from here, the nation flourished. Following an extreme low, a substantial high came with a surpassing of “Prime Minister Ikeda Hayato’s 1959 promise of “income doubling” within a decade,” making Japan the “world’s second-largest economy by 1970.”[12] Luxuries such as washing machines, televisions, and refrigerators saw a familiar presence within homes and public spaces, serving as a testament to the economic growth of this time.12 This not only allowed for a more excellent quality of life for citizens but also allowed Japan to reach new growth. While such progressions were undoubtedly beneficial, the general population still faced prevalent issues, including but not limited to cramped living spaces, overdemanding work, underpaying jobs, and pollution that resulted in high rates of mercury poisoning.12 Due to the persistence of these issues, Japan saw a decline as the 20^th century ended.

Living conditions started positively in America, so much so that the 1920s were dubbed the “roaring twenties” out of reverence.[13] This time was one of increased quality of life alongside greater freedoms. Such a period can be seen as the calm before the storm, with economic growth present alongside societal advancements. The fall of such a boom came in October 1929 with a severe stock market crash, resulting in an economic depression that “threatened people's jobs, savings, and even their homes and farms.”14 This created an environment where war was inescapable, made clear by the presence of “two world wars and countless smaller ones.”[14] Initially, the U.S. had no plans to engage in the ongoing wars, so such a shift is significant as it went against the planned outcome.

Interestingly, this very avoidance of war hindered recovery from such a crash, as no significant force prompted a shift in structure until preparations for involvement in the battle following the events of Pearl Harbor. This clear goal allowed the economy to recover. It can be best described as one that “shaped the culture of the U.S.”[15] While these structural improvements are not to be understated, those fighting in war are not to be forgotten, as this way of life is undoubtedly undesirable. For those uninvolved in the fight, life saw anything but a definitive state of normalcy. One of these changes was in the structure of the family dynamic. As women entered the workforce in droves, “many fathers went from being the primary or sole breadwinners for their families to being co- breadwinners.”[16] Additionally, “divorce surpassed death as the way most marriages ended,” resulting in a rise of other household dynamics such as “single person, cohabiting couples, same-sex couples, stepparent households,” an environment where children were raised by their grandparents.16           

While “a central feature of post-World War II America was mass upward mobility,” some elements of life remained in the past.[17] One instance of such is the presence of income inequality, creating an environment where many struggle to make a comfortable wage. “Many government officials describe educational differences as the central driver of inequality,” resulting in uneducated persons receiving a now structural disadvantage.[18] While this initially sounds like a relatively simple fix, the sheer difficulty of achieving a livable or comfortable wage resulted in many dropping out of high school to enter the workforce early. This resulted in college schooling becoming viable only for already privileged individuals, creating a landscape where if wages were raised, “the incomes of the rich would rise faster.”[19]

Comparing these two cultures and their differing goals results in a clear difference between them. The arguably opposing societal constructions highlight areas weak to one approach but firm with the other. Despite these vast differences, one element is evident with both. Focusing on the people within the society is most important, as ignoring citizens' struggles results in a systematic downfall. Where America looks to achieve such, a focus is centered on each person's issues. Therefore, an emphasis must be on what troubles are most widespread. Interestingly, this contains elements of Japan’s approach, one where the overall group is favored, and the issues faced by specific people are of little or no importance.

Looking at the overall scene of the 20^th century, war greatly impacted the lives of many, regardless of their position in the world. These influences cannot be denied, yet how they manifested tells of the culture impacted. Looking at collectivism and individualism specifically, each approach has its strengths in creating a positive quality of life for citizens. Despite this, however, each focus needs to be improved in ways. Primarily, such shortcomings result from simply needing to acknowledge aspects of society that are less focused on.

For Japan, the discontentment of individuals was ignored in favor of the nation's prosperity, shifting away from a focus on the people. Due to the nation’s nature, “taking the needs and wants of the group as a whole instead of in the form of individual’s needs” was a fundamental priority. So, the changing definition of “the group” caused trouble.[20] As the prioritized group shifted from the collective of citizens to the economic and structural aspects of the nation, the issues faced by the nation’s people became exasperated, causing a fall from grace. While recovery from such a fall was achieved, the failure to resolve these underlying issues meant this time of growth was short-lived. Ignoring individual struggles to this degree results in many having the same problems, creating a net negative life experience. Such direction highlights development as a priority, along with sentiment regarding “the greater good” as a cause worthy of pushing aside or even actively causing harm to individuals.

As for the U.S., the exploration of individualism allowed for quick recovery from the perils faced. Rather than stay rooted in a singular way of life for all people, the freedom of choice meant many scenarios were accounted for. As Patrick Carroll and Dan Sanchez put it, “This progress can serve as an inspiration for further steps toward the protection of individual rights in the future.”[21] While significant progress was achieved at this time, flaws were still present in that equal opportunity was not considered, creating issues for those lacking an initial advantage. This issue indicates how focusing only on individuals neglects the overall group. In looking to appease individuals, a sense of freedom is further prioritized, allowing citizens to choose their way of life, regardless of the harm some paths may entail.

[1] White, Leslie, A. culture. 2022. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/culture.

[2] Carroll, Patrick, & Sanchez, Dan. Individualism: A Deeply American Philosophy. 2022. Foundation for Economic Education. https://fee.org/resources/individualism-a-deeply-american-philosophy/.

[3] Heike, Paul. Chapter III Pilgrims and Puritans and the Myth of the Promised Land. pp. 138. Jstor. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv1wxsdq.7?searchText=migration+to+america+mayflower&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dmigration%2Bto%2Bamerica%2Bmayflower&ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_gsv2%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3A94e5abcc5922c9ec54c749a12f924e39&seq=2.

[4] Heike. pp. 145. 2.

[5] Heike. pp. 148. 2.

[6] Declaration of Independence (1776). 2022. National Archives. https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=C8vOFODbuSs&si=DR1gXdNBZZVaEajw.

[7] Magno, T. Harmony in Japan: the art of a collectivist society. 2018. Japamigo. https://www.japamigo.com/2541/

[8] Davies, Roger J. Japanese Culture: The Religious and Philosophical Foundations. pp. 16. 2016. Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=uQqrDAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=japanese+culture+in+20th+century&ots=pDGAO-vHNz&sig=nunx-UR_6XcjX9Q3hNyJVkYYc3s#v=onepage&q=japanese%20culture%20in%2020th%20century&f=false.

[9] Davies. pp. 14. 2.

[10] Huffman, James L. Japanese Society in the Twentieth Century. 2005. Association for Asian Studies. https://www.asianstudies.org/publications/eaa/archives/japanese-society-in-the-twentieth-century-2/.

[11] Garon, Sheldon. The State and Labor in Modern Japan. pp. 2. 1987. Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=1qjrpOeKRWMC&oi=fnd&pg=PP13&dq=modern+japan&ots=GzEtvCCjoc&sig=qXd4Qz2XrxJxhX1TNB9ERBkTJ0s#v=onepage&q=modern%20japan&f=false.

[12] Huffman. 3.

[13] U.S. History Primary Source Timeline. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/united-states-history-primary-source-timeline/progressive-era-to-new-era-1900-1929/overview/.

[14] Warzinik, Kelly. Family Life in 20^th-Century America. pp. viii. 2007. Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=A7POEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR5&dq=20th+century+america&ots=AwfhpVbGNV&sig=smdmMnmDxVf8fiViyEGSAgOwtk8#v=onepage&q=20th%20century%20america&f=false.

[15] Library of Congress. 4.

[16] Warzinik. pp. viii. 4.

[17] Levy, Frank, & Temin, Peter. Inequality and Institutions in 20^th Century America. pp. 2. 2007. National Bureau of Economic Research. https://www.nber.org/papers/w13106.

[18] Levy & Termin. pp. 7. 5.

[19] Levy & Termin. pp. 36. 5.

[20]  Magno. 2.

[21] Carroll & Sanchez. 1.