Burakumin at the end of history - history of social class in Japan

Social Research, Spring, 2003 by Ian Neary

Table 1: Policy Positions of the JCP and BLL

                CP                                 BLL

Differences between buraku and      Real conditions of discrimination
neighbors in living environment,    disappear, including inferior
employment, education, and          physical environment, educational
other concerns are corrected.       and employment abilities.

A condition is created so that      "Psychological discrimination"
society does not accept             disappears in marriage and employ-
unscientific knowledge of the       ment.
buraku question and prejudiced
remarks.

In the course of struggling         Human rights and democracy
against the discrimination of the   become realities.
buraku, the historical
backwardness in the buraku
people's living standards and
habits is overcome.

In society, free communication is   An actual situation is realized in
developed, as is reconciliation     which even if buraku remain and
with solidarity.                    truth about a burakumin's identity
                                    is known, no one will discriminate.

Adapted from Su-Lan Reber (1999: 347).

Notes

(1) In this article I will use the following Japanese conventions to refer to broad periods of Japanese history: 670-1250 Ancient Period (kodai), 1250-1590 Middle Ages (chusei), 1590-1868 Early Modern (kinsei), and 1868- Modern (gendai).

References

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