日本の戦国時代は生き地獄だった。織田信長は「天下布武」を行い、徳川家康が乱世を終わらせ「道徳」を復活、固定させた。
　この二人を見ると織田信長は弥生人、徳川家康は縄文人のような気がする。
　弥生人がもたらした戦国主義を見事に生き抜いたのが、織田信長。その後、社会に比較的な平和をもたらした徳川家康は、縄文人の調和主義の信奉者だったのでは？

PART FIVE:
A Look at the Past, Current Affairs and the Future. (1)

By Shun Daichi

l. In the past.

Let's look at the past in Japan and see what really happened with Harmonism and Civil Warism.

Jomon Period (14000 years ago to 2500 years ago)
Jomon culture was a prosperous society. Population was not so great but people lived in a beautiful island of Japan peacefully and harmoniously. We have not much trace of fighting or war against each village. Each village had some special goods to offer to other villages. Harmonism may be the idea of Jomon culture.
Okinawa people in Japan are thought to be a typical Jomon type. Okinawa people love outsiders to live among them today and basically a peace loving people.

Yayoi Invasion (2500 years ago)
Tall and different looking people invaded Japan from China. Those people may be lost the war in China and pushed away to Japan. They might have an idea of Civil Warism. However, Jpmon people had Harmonism that Yayoi and Jomon people appears to live alongside without war or battle. Archeological finds shows there were no fight between them.

Sengoku Jidai (1480-1615)
Japan was in chaotic battle stage for more than 100 years. It was a living hell. There were no rules and morals that people can be restricted. The period is really an age of Civil Warism. Finally, Japan was united under one power, Tokugawa family. They re-installed and pushed Harmonism very strongly.

Tokugawa Period (1615-1867)
We had 300 years of relative peace under Harmonism. During this period Japanese culture blossomed. Many of today's traditional arts are originated in this period such as Ukiyoe and Kabuki. Japan was isolated from the rest of the world for 300 years.

Meiji Restoration (Opening of the door to the West).
After 300 years of relative peace, the Black Ship arrived from the US to Japan in 1853. The black ships pressured Japan to open up the market to the world.
Harmonism proved that when we have strong outside pressure Japan could shift the course of the country. Without outside pressure we are very slow in changing, as I explained in the outcome of Harmonism.

World War Two (Limit of Harmonism)
Civil Warism found expression in imperialism before World War II, especially outside Japan. The harsh colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula and Manchuria by Japan are good examples of Civil Warism.
Just like today, Harmonism at that time could not control events outside Japan and Civil Warism found haven there.
Western style imperialism is just right for our Civil Warism. We found the similar idea in Imperialism. However, there are big difference between Imperialism and Civil Warism. The difference must come from different cultural background. I think Americans and Europeans found Civil Warism a bit too extreme for their liking.
One of the dangers of Harmonism is that once the mind of majority is manipulated and goes in one direction then the ordinary Japanese has no alternative but to follow the majority without question.

(To be continued)