Asian Political/Economic Development

This study will discuss and contrast the varieties of political and economic development in China, Japan, and North and South Korea in the post-World War II era. The study will also consider the impact of the policies of the United States as they affected political and economic development in the three nations. Specifically, the argument of the study will be that China and North Korea have developed politically and economically based on policies which are more strictly controlled by the government than is the case in Japan and South Korea. In the latter two countries---especially in Japan---the market has been allowed to dictate development. Japan, out of the four countries, has the most open democratic political system. The control exercised by the governments of China and North Korea has manifested itself largely in terms of national isolation and dependence on communist or socialist principles and practices. The study will also argue that China and North Korea, because of that political and economic isolation, have been less affected by the policies of the United States than have been Japan and South Korea. At the same time, however, especially in the case of China, American policy, with no success in liberalizing Chinese policy for the bulk of the post-war period, has inadvertently resulted in stiffening Chinese resolve to pursue isolationist and communist policies. In recent years, however, the Chinese government has been forced by internal pressures (from the people an

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roaching democracy) resulted in the 1989 uprising, which was followed by another round of repression. Nevertheless, change is inevitable in China both economically and politically. Even the hard-liners recognize that China can no longer turn its back on external economic investments and influences, and this economic liberalization will inevitably result in more pressure from the people for greater political freedom and involvement in the government's processes. These leaders cannot deny that Communist ideology politically and economically must be replaced by more pragmatic policies: "Thus, China may witness yet another leadership shift . . . away from the ideologically oriented policies of the 'conservative' . . . wing back toward . . . more pragmatic and liberal policies" (I; 19). China is a poor country, making development difficult, but at least the leaders now recognize that ideology has been a heavy burden on developmental needs. Also "partial reform" (I; 83) has proven to be inadequate to China's developmental needs economically, and politically has proven to be a seedbed for massive dissatisfaction leading to the near-revolution of 1989. Only time will tell if these changes will result in more democracy, more capitalism, o

Category: Economics - A