By: AJ Witte
When we look at our modern day American political landscape I can only think of one word to describe it: that being divided. I could hardly believe that there ever will or even could be perfect harmony among the ruling parties of the United States. Constantly at one another’s throats until the other capitulates to the whims of the victor. That is why, it is so interesting and unendingly stupefying that Japan has been able to exist for as long as it has, with only one ruling governmental body. The United States has only been around for some 250 years and we were birthed from the bloodshed of a war of independence, stained our lands with the bloody rivers of a civil war due to our political instability. It appears we have built our society on unstable ground as it is. In the reading which covers The Seventeen-Article constitution of Prince Shotoku, it becomes evident just how such a system can come about, and therefore strengthened. It speaks of how Prince Shotoku sought to create a Japanese state based off of Confucian ideals which seemed to have been successful in China. Personally, there is one article in particular that stands out to me as being the most interesting and insightful. That article being article number one interestingly enough. The most important statements read as such: “Harmony is to be valued, and contentiousness avoided. All men are inclined to partisanship, and few are truly discerning… But when those above are harmonious and those below are conciliator and there is concord in the discussion of all matters, the disposition of affairs comes about naturally,” (William 51). This first article in particular stands out to me as it seems accepts the fact that there is and will inevitably be disorder. There will be disagreements amongst subjects. However, if the ruling power stays vigilant and the subjects below stand as a strong moral center, then the society as a whole will prosper and grow ever closer to reaching harmony. I read it as harmony is a goal to strive for, not necessarily the natural state of all things. I believe that when we expect all to be good and balanced in the world is when we start to go awry. It is far better to expect a tumultuous path and prepare for it rather than be blind to the troubles we will inevitably face.
Sources:
“The Seventeen Article Constitution of Prince Shōtoku”. (from: de Bary, William Th. ed. Sources of Japanese Tradition, Volume One: From Earliest Times to 1600. 2nd edition. New York: Columbia University Press, 2002)
