HIEA 115 (WEEK 2)

Question: Why is Tsurumi’s argument about the importance of Japanese women’s labor power to nation-building an important intervention to week 1’s theorizations of nationalism? On the flip side, what experiences might focusing too much on this point occlude?

First and foremost, it is important to recognize the significant roles that Japanese women had in the development of Japan’s economy during the Meiji era. During this time, the women were expected to contribute to the household and therefore took on jobs working in textile-industry factories as well as cotton-spinning factories while earning significantly lower wages compared to their male counterparts. Due to this, the low cost of the women’s labor power was crucial to the industries rapid rise to prominence in local and international economies.

This is in accordance with McClintock’s definition of nationalism, in which the author states that nations have inherent biases and are “frequently violent and always gendered”. This case of always being gendered can be seen through the fact that these young women were classified as subservient to their husbands and brothers. At the same time, they were expected to a) work in these factories and b) while not working, to take on a greater share of home duties without complaint. However, in Tsumuri’s argument within Whose History Is It Anyway, she notes that many of these young women went to work in the factories not for the sake of Japan and a feeling of nationalism, but rather to supply for their families.

With that being said, Tsumuri also states that it is important to see that these young women were not victims of nationalism. Interestingly enough, many of them were asked by their parents if they truly wanted to work within the factories and mills and most often-times were never forced to do so.

However, if we solely focus on how these young Japanese women’s labor power contributed to the well-being of the nation of Japan, we fail to acknowledge both a) the lies that they were told in order for them to join and b) the dreadful treatment that they endured while working in these factories. Within Tsumuri’s text, she mentions the case of a young woman who was hesitant to work within the factories, but recruiters visited their villages and spun lies of how fantastic the work was and the phenomenal pay that would surely help their families if they took the opportunity. Not only did these young women endure deceit from the recruiters, but they also experienced sexual harassment from their supervisors and managers.

So, while these young factory workers undoubtedly contributed towards the development of Japan’s economy and played a major role in Japan’s growing nationalism, it came at a cost. I think that it’s important to acknowledge the blatant exploitation that these young women experienced during the process of Japan’s nation-building.

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