The Great Tradition: Theories of Uniformity and Consensus in Japanese Society

Interest in Japanese society has expanded considerably over the past twenty years. This trend is apparent both in Japan and abroad, and is no doubt closely connected with Japan's emergence as an economic superpower, reflecting the desire of many to explain its rapid economic growth. At the end of the sixties, numerous observers began to refer to Japan's economic growth as a miracle. The speed at which Japan industrialized was seen as being unprecedented.