During the earliest years of the 20th century, East Asia had the kind of modernization that can be thought of as “oriental dominance.” This can be proven by the success that countries like Japan and China have shown over the past decades. According to historians, Japan was the first to engage in a full-scale modernization within East Asian territory.
Modernization of East Asia in the 20th Century
During the mid 18th century, it can be noted that Japan was powerless against foreign invaders like the US and England. But just about a hundred years later, it can already hold its own and fight back against such countries, though they might not be strong enough to overpower either world superpowers at that time.
Another notable modernization that East Asia is having is the unstoppable rise of China as the next world power. While countries of the past use to dominate other territories by the strength of their armies, China has a unique approach in which it utilizes the richness of its economy in attaining global dominance.
This is not to say that China has a weaker army compared to the US and other western countries. What it means is that it does not rely on its armed forces alone but on the industrialization, manpower, and economical powers that it is now enriching the world with. Without a doubt, the modernization that Japan and China are giving nowadays is exactly the kind of that defines the modernization that East Asia is having in the 20th century.
Impact of Western Revolution in Asian Countries
Because they were developed earlier than most of the countries that we know of today, the revolution that took place in the western countries greatly inspired the way nationalism is depicted in countries like Japan, China, and Korea in these modern times. If take a look back at history, it can be observed that among the most important revolutions that happened in western countries where the American Revolution started in the mid 17th century, which inspired the French Revolution sometime later in that century.
Even before the likes of Napoleon Bonaparte graced the annals of history with his exploits, there are others before him who already showed great acts of bravery which inspired others in the later generations to fight for something they deeply believed in. One example of this is William Wallace, a Celtic warrior who has been the subject of a lot of books and movies.
In Asia, we have modernized revolutionary acts such as the April Revolution of South Korea in which mass protest has held against President Syngman Rhee and the First Republic. Though the event happened only in 1960. It cannot be denied that protests like that spring from western ideologies.
Centuries before that, there was also the Meiji Restoration of Japan which is also inspired by western revolutions. In China, we can look into the events of the Xinhai Revolution in which huge support from Japanese powers was reported. We can then conclude that the influence of other countries can really motivate others as well in conducting revolutions that can greatly change the course of history over the generations.
The Importance of Structural Functionalism
Because structural functionalism is viewed as a complex system comprised of parts that work together in promoting stability and solidarity, it plays a very crucial role in the understanding of man as a social being. Its relevance to the study of race and culture is very significant because it is very similar to other fields such as biology and other similar fields of science.
When racial issues are looked upon closely, it can be immediately seen that structural functionalism has high attribution towards it. This is because, in order for a race to thrive within the world to where it belongs, the people that comprise it must work together as a network of organisms.
They must collaborate and pool their resources together to form the structures that they need in living harmoniously with each other, as well as in getting along with the other races near them. Furthermore, it can also be a means of shaping the guidelines that can help shape the moral values of a certain social unit.
The concept of race can in fact make civilization more stable because when a group of people can establish their cultural identity in a certain area, they can be more valiant in promoting the values that they stand for. In effect, they can build a better society and eventually, evolve into a better nation.
A citizen of the United States should have no doubts of accepting the fact that structural functionalism is one of the best ways to emphasize the significance of the American way of life. Whenever social dysfunctions become evident in any group within the country, one should reflect on what structural functionalism is teaching the people all along.
"If everyone would just work together, the way biological organisms do in their most basic form, society would surely be transformed into a better version of itself."
