MARC Record from marc_columbia

LEADER: 02848mam a2200349 a 4500
001 1896599
005 20220609022029.0
008 960522t19961996hiu b s001 0 eng
010 $a 96025662
020 $a0824818199 (pbk. : alk. paper)
035 $a(OCoLC)ocm34839789
035 $9ALY8057CU
035 $a1896599
040 $aDLC$cDLC$dOrLoB-B
043 $aa-ja---
050 00 $aHV6321.J3$bM57 1996
082 00 $a364.1/323$220
100 1 $aMitchell, Richard H.$0http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n83056341
245 10 $aPolitical bribery in Japan /$cRichard H. Mitchell.
260 $aHonolulu, Hawaii :$bUniversity of Hawaiʻi Press,$c[1996], ©1996.
300 $axvii, 206 pages ;$c23 cm
336 $atext$btxt$2rdacontent
337 $aunmediated$bn$2rdamedia
504 $aIncludes bibliographical references (p. 161-200) and index.
520 $aThe term "structural corruption" is often used when discussing modern Japan's political system - a system that forces politicians to exchange favors with businessmen in return for funds to finance their political careers. Scholars argue that the origins of corruption can be found in the "iron triangles" formed by politicians, bureaucrats, and businessmen during the postwar era or during the Pacific War years. This book, however, illustrates that structural corruption originated in the prewar era.
520 8 $aIn his examination of malfeasance in public office, Richard Mitchell systematically surveys political bribery in Japan's historical and cultural contexts from antiquity to the present. His narrative serially considers the scandals involving courtiers in the ancient imperial government, corruption among the shogun's samurai officials, and political bribery among businessmen, bureaucrats, and party politicians since the inauguration of Western forms of government in the mid-nineteenth century.
520 8 $aMitchell concludes that, despite a history of moral restraints and antibribery laws, bribery was as ubiquitous in premodern Japan as it has been in recent times.
520 8 $aFocusing on the period since 1868, Mitchell discusses in fascinating detail changes in political bribery in the wake of suffrage expansion, estimates of the enormous amount of campaign money needed to win a Diet seat in both the prewar and postwar periods, and the low conviction rate of suspected takers of bribes. Furthermore, Mitchell points out what is typical and atypical in the Japanese experience by comparing it with that of China, Korea, England, and the United States.
520 8 $aHere is a highly readable and reliable survey of an important yet largely neglected topic in English-language studies of Japanese political history.
650 0 $aBribery$zJapan$xHistory.
650 0 $aPolitical corruption$zJapan$xHistory.
852 00 $beal$hHV6321.J3$iM57 1996