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Lookup NU author(s): Dr James Babb
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Under the Allied Occupation, immediately after the end of Second World War, pent-up tenant farmer frustration was translated into substantial support for the Japan Socialist Party through the farmer union movement. This support was enhanced by the institutional mechanisms of the land reform process, particularly land reform committees (nōchi iinkai), in which the Socialists played a predominant role. However, as the land reform process came to an end, the Socialists were unable to capture an emerging site of institutional influence over farmers, agricultural cooperatives (nōkyō). This failure was due to Socialist fragmentation and competition for power in farmer unions with the Japan Communist Party and in the agricultural cooperatives with centrist conservative forces. The result was that the Socialists lost a key constituency that came to be dominated by the conservatives. Nonetheless, this conservatism of Japanese farmers was not due to inherent cultural orientations of the rural population nor was it simply a product of land reform. The transformation of farmers into a key pillar of conservative party support was the outcome of a political process. © The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Institute of Social Science, University of Tokyo. All rights reserved.
Author(s): Babb JD
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Social Science Japan Journal
Year: 2005
Volume: 8
Issue: 2
Pages: 175-195
ISSN (print): 1369-1465
ISSN (electronic): 1468-2680
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ssjj/jyi037
DOI: 10.1093/ssjj/jyi037
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