Class Meeting: M.W.& Fr. 9:00-11:00 a.m.; Tue.& Thur.1:00-3:00 p.m.
Office Hours: 3:00-4:00 p.m. and by appointment
Office: South Hall #15
Phone: xx-4203 (Off.); xx-4438 (Home)

Over the past fifteen or twenty years, The People's Republic of China and Japan have gained new importance in the world arena. China's nuclear abilities and growing economy have made it one of the front-runners in the international realm. Japan's premier economic power has come to abrogate its military weakness. This course adopts a historical, development perspective to understand how Chinese and Japanese politics have come to work the ways they do today. Our point of departure is the recognition that an adequate understanding of the dynamics of contemporary Chinese and Japanese politics can only be grounded in a comprehension of how indigenous traditions have been incorporated into the economic and political structures that were imported into both countries from the West since the late nineteenth century. The course is intended for undergraduates who are not expected to have an extensive background in the study of Asia.

1. Lectures and class discussions will be held in the class meetings.
2. One paper (10 double-spaced type papers) on topics to be announced on October 15 will be assigned before the final examination period.
3. There are two examinations which will cover assigned readings and lectures.
4. Each student will select a chapter from the reading assignment, and present the author's major points and arguments in the class.

Grading:

• paper(final exam.) 40%
• exams. 30% (15% for each)
• presentation 20%
• class discussion 10%

READING LIST

1. James Wang, Contemporary Chinese Politics: An Introduction (New Jersey: Prentice Hall,1989).
2. Brantly Womack, ed., Contemporary Chinese Politics in Historical Perspective (New York:Cambridge University Press, 1991.
3. Theodore McNelly, Politics and Government in Japan, second edition. (University Press of America, 1984).
4. Purnendra Jain, Japanese Politics Today: Beyond Karaoke Democracy? (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997).

A few reading selections will be available on reserve in the library:

1. Marius B. Jansen, "The Meiji State: 1868-1912" in Crowley, James B., ed., Modern East Asia: Essays in Interpretation
2. Germaine A. Hoston, "Tenko: Marxism & the National Question in Prewar Japan", in Polity, 16:1, (Fall 1983).
3. James B. Crowley, "A New Deal for Japan and Asia: One Road to Peal Harbor", In Crowley, James B., ed., Modern East Asia
4. Mao Zedong, "Chinese Revolution and Chinese Communist Party" in Selected Wroks of Mao Tse-tung, vol. II.
5. Jack Gray, "The Two Roads: Alternatives Strategies of Social Change and Economic Growth in China".
6. Lucien Bianco, Origins of the Chinese Revolution, 1915-1949, Translated from the French by Muriel Bell, (Stanford, Ca.: Stanford University Press, 1971).

CLASS ASSIGNMENTS

Week 1 -- Sept. 28-Oct.2 Historical Perspective in East Asian Studies

1. Introduction: "Asiatic Mode" Societies

2. The Traditional Society and Political Culture.

Readings:
Wang, Contemporary Chinese Politics, PP. 1-11.
Bianco, Origins of the Chinese Revolution, ch. 1-2.
McNelly, Politics and Government in Japan, ch.1.

3. Reform and Revolution

Readings:
Bianco, Origins of the Chinese Revolution, ch. 3-5.
Marius B. Jansen, "The Meiji State: 1868-1912" in Crowley, James B., ed.
Modern East Asia: Essays in Interpretation

Tape: Asian-Pacific Century, vol. 1-2

The 1st Thursday will have a morning class (9:00-11:00)

4. The Comparison of the "Modernization" in the late 19th Century's China and Japan

Class Discussion focus on the topic: Why didn't China establish a "modern" society and why was Japan so successful to be "modernized"?

5. 1st Exam.

Week 2 -- Oct. 5-9 Search for "Modern" Ideology

  1. The Devolopment of Marxis

Reading:
Wang, Contemporary Chinese Politics, ch. 2. Bianco, Origins of the Chinese Revolution, ch.6-7.

2. The Dilemma of the Japanese Marxists

Reading:
Germaine A. Hoston, "Tenko: Marxism & the National Question in Prewar Japan", in Polity, 16:1, (Fall 1983).

3. The War and Modernization

Reading: McNelly, Politics and Government in Japan, ch. 2.

James B. Crowley, "A New Deal for Japan and Asia: One Road to Peal Harbor", In Crowley, James B., ed., Modern East Asia.

4. Ideology and Political Development

Reading:
Mao Zedong, "Chinese Revolution and Chinese Communist Party" in Selected Wroks of Mao Tse-tung, vol. II.

Class discussion focus on the topic: How did the ideology affact the political developments in China and Japan.

5. 2nd Exam.

Week 3 -- Oct. 12-16 Modernization and Tradition

1. Political Organization

Readings:
Wang, Contemporary Chinese Politics, ch. 3-5
McNelly, Politics and Government in Japan, ch. 3-6.
Purnendra Jain, Japanese Politics Today, ch. 1-4

2. The Dilemma of Chinese Revolution

Readings:
Wang, Contemporary Chinese Politics, ch. 6-7.
Jack Gray, "The Two Roads: Alternatives Strategies of Social Change and Economic Growth in China".

3. Government and Economy

Readings:
McNelly, Politics and Government in Japan, ch. 7-8.
Purnendra Jain, Japanese Politics Today, ch. 8-11.
Womack, Contemporary Chinese Politics in Historical Perspective, Part I.

4. Capitalism, Communism, or "Asian Mode" 

Readings:
Womack, Contemporary Chinese Politics in Historical Perspective, Part II.
Purnendra Jain, Japanese Politics Today, ch. 5-7.

Paper topic will be announced in the beginning of the class.

5. China/Japan in World Politics (I)

Reading:
McNelly, Politics and Government in Japan, ch. 8-9.
Purnendra Jain, Japanese Politics Today, ch. 12-13

Tape: "Gong Ho"

Week 4 -- Oct. 19-21

  1. China/Japan in World Politics (II)

Reading:
Wang, Contemporary Chinese Politics, ch. 10.
Womack, Contemporary Chinese Politics in Historical Perspective, Part III.

2. Student presentation, topic: The Meaning of the Modernization to China and Japan.

3. Final Examination.

Rise of ancient Chinese civilization

• Xia 21th-16th century B. C.
• Shang 1766-1122 B. C.
• Zhou 1122-221 B. C

Imperial time

• Qin 221-206 B. C
• Former Han 206 B. C. - A. D. 8
• Later Han A. D. 25 - 220
• Three Kingdoms 220-265
• Jin 265-317
• The Northern and Southern dynasties 317-581
  • (Toba A. D. 386 - 533 )
• Sui 581-618
• Tang 618-907
• The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms 907-960
• Northern Song 960-1127
  • Chin/Mongol rule in North
• Southern Song 1127-1279
• Yuan 1279-1368
• Ming 1368-1644
• Qing 1644-1911

Republican period

• Republic of China 1912-1949
• The People's Republic of China 1949-present
  • Mao's China 1949-1976
  • Deng's China 1976-1997

A Chronology of Japanese History

Pre-Jomon c.150,000 B. C

Jomon culture c. 7000-250 B. C

Yayoi culture c. 250 B. C. - A. D. third century

Uji period (Half in Yayoi and half in Tomb)

Tomb culture (Kofun) Late third to sixth century

Asuka 593-710

Taika 645-709

Nara 710-794

Heian 794-1185

Fujiwara (late Heian) 857-1160

Taira 1160-1185

Kamakura 1185-1333

Ashikaga/Muromachi 1333-1568

Azuchi-Momoyama 1568-1600

Tokugawa/Edo 1600-1867

Meiji 1868-1912

Taisho 1912-1926

Showa 1926-1989

Heisei 1989-present

Comparative Historical Development of China and Japan