Mori Arinori's Life and Resources in America'Mori notes, 'Where men think that they know everything, and boast of their superior wisdom, the presumption is that they have yet much to learn.' . . . [T]oday's readers, whether in the United States, in Japan, or elsewhere, who may think they already know so much about the subject, will find much of value in Life and Resources in America.' --Akira Iriye, Harvard University, from the foreword Mori Arinori's Life and Resources in America was written by the young, educated ex-samurai the Japanese government selected as its first diplomatic representative in the United States. Originally published in English in Washington, D.C., in 1871, this book sheds much light on the shape of an American society, government, and economy recovering from the Civil War. Like earlier philosopher-tourists such as Alexis de Tocqueville and Harriet Martineau, Mori understands the United States as a stage upon which an important experiment in democracy, pluralism, and liberalism is unfolding. Life and Resources in America is distinct for its view from the Reconstruction period and by a non-European observer. Historian John E. Van Sant has annotated and lightly edited this uniquely illuminating text, making it readily accessible to the contemporary audience it deserves. |
From inside the book
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Page xx
... law . THE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES In October 1870 , Foreign Minister Sawa Nobuyoshi recalled Mori to govern- ment service and appointed him as the charge d'affaires of the new Japanese legation in Washington , D.C.15 With this appointment ...
... law . THE CHARGE D'AFFAIRES In October 1870 , Foreign Minister Sawa Nobuyoshi recalled Mori to govern- ment service and appointed him as the charge d'affaires of the new Japanese legation in Washington , D.C.15 With this appointment ...
Page xxvi
... law of the empire , the vi- olation of this law is considered a serious matter .... Care should be taken to in- duce [ Japanese Christians ] to renounce their evil ways , and if there be any who refuse to repent , severe punishment must ...
... law of the empire , the vi- olation of this law is considered a serious matter .... Care should be taken to in- duce [ Japanese Christians ] to renounce their evil ways , and if there be any who refuse to repent , severe punishment must ...
Page xxvii
... laws against Christianity four months after the publication of Mori's memorial on religious freedom . Mori was not single - handedly responsible for this signifi- cant change in Japanese law , yet his defense and promotion of ...
... laws against Christianity four months after the publication of Mori's memorial on religious freedom . Mori was not single - handedly responsible for this signifi- cant change in Japanese law , yet his defense and promotion of ...
Page xxxv
... Law , and Joseph Story's Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States . 30. Ibid . 31. The Japanese Legation Copybook ( included in Shinshu Mori Arinori Zenshu , Vol . 5 ) contains several notes and letters written in English ...
... Law , and Joseph Story's Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States . 30. Ibid . 31. The Japanese Legation Copybook ( included in Shinshu Mori Arinori Zenshu , Vol . 5 ) contains several notes and letters written in English ...
Page 3
... laws which allow all men to vote , in view of the single idea of personal freedom.4 This is undoubtedly all wrong , and the evil effects of this state of things are being manifested every day . A prosperous , happy , and permanent ...
... laws which allow all men to vote , in view of the single idea of personal freedom.4 This is undoubtedly all wrong , and the evil effects of this state of things are being manifested every day . A prosperous , happy , and permanent ...
Contents
Official and Political Life | 5 |
Life among the Farmers and Planters | 15 |
Commercial Life and Developments | 31 |
Life among the Mechanics | 43 |
Religious Life and Institutions | 51 |
Life in the Factories | 69 |
Educational Life and Institutions | 81 |
Literary Artistic and Scientific Life | 93 |
Life in the Leading Cities | 119 |
Frontier Life and Developments | 129 |
Judicial Life | 135 |
Final Thoughts on America1 | 139 |
Religious Freedom in Japan | 141 |
The Religious Charter of the Empire of Dai Nippon | 149 |
Selected Bibliography | 151 |
155 | |
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Common terms and phrases
acres agricultural amount annual believe Bible called century chapter chargé d'affaires Charles Lanman chiefly Chinese Christ Christian church Circuit civilization claim College comfort commercial connected cotton coun culture daimyō District employed England established extensive fact factories farm farmers fifty foreign Fukuzawa Yukichi give houses hundred important inhabitants institutions Ivan Parker Iwakura embassy Iwakura Tomomi Japanese Japanese students jurisdiction known labor land large numbers largest late laws leading live manufacture Meiji Meiji era Meiji government Meiji Restoration ment merchants miles millions of dollars minister Mori Arinori Mori's nation Niijima persons political population productions published regard religion religious Resources in America Sakoku samurai Satsuma schools sect ships society Supreme Court Territories Thomas Lake Harris thousand dollars tion Tokugawa Tokugawa bakufu Tokyo total number trade true United University various Washington West Western women writing York