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12/1/1989 - Small Town Economics West and East by Arthur Getz

NOT FOR PUBLICATION Wrl HOUTWRITER SCONSENT INSTITUTEOFCURRENTWORLDAbAIRS AAG I Small Town Economics West East Oberlin Ohio December Peter Bird Martin Executive Director Institute Current Wor Affairs Wheelock House West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 Dear Peter Driving through New England countryside Midwest awakened sense large country haven reached Great Plains Southwest The space great American natural resources I missing during years urban Japan While monitoring elements reverse culture shock I going through seeing opposite happen Kazari Tokyo urbanite As through rolls Tolds central Ohio landscape through Amish country Louis Bromfield I emptying images cluttered packed Tokyo throngs people tight In their place these gently curving lines earth The winter offers expanse occasional windbreak trees rectangular acreages Their crowns silhouettes perfect identification aainst skies sometimes color Out soloists single companions naked walnuts hickories reveal thedr uninhibited shapes often symmetries1 patterns chance forest competitors twist light Trees special meaning plains south Lake Erie where sometimes variables apart abandoned farmhouse telephone poles marching right country highway Arthur Getz Institute Fellow making cross cultural study issues agriculture human values Since theInstituteofCurrentWorldAffair theCrane Rogers Foundation hasprovidedlong termfellowships enable outstanding young adults outside United States write about international issues Endowed bythelateCharlesR Crane theInstituteisalsosupportedbycontributionsfromlike mindedindividualsand foundations I spent years college first close breadbasket Recently I drove friend airport soybean fields covered I given story She house asked neighbor maple shared border between their properties nking about decided would missed might strggling garder behind kitchen On witnessed remarkable display perfect place memory birds group sparrows created space momentary hovering search their perches finding Only realise backyard begin regret little resisted cutting The I referring Oberlin Ohio settled early express intention starting place learning wilderness Near center broad square wonderful collection trees considerable variety donor actually required several buildings removed order comply terms large donation But relatively remnant thick forest before Dutch Elm disease struck transformed drastically It startled point disbe I across large photograph young GI walking through square I known several years could recognize because architectural His strolling figure dwarfed cathedral archway flanking central brick Like other townships Oberlin townspeople favored great shade provides planted everywhere often uniform When after burned residents devastated More difficult imagine before settlers early accounts their hardship forest frontier might compare those Amazonian sqatters generations burning tropical rainforest wilderness creating great concern North Yet abundant forest colonies New World probably saved pockets woods Europe theme seems shift settings Japan present forests spared because though plenty cheaper clear Indonesian rainforests tracts Alaskan forests labor costs AAG maintain their woodlands It s1olt choice consequences The variety trees taking testimony wisdom diversity uniformity attribute Japan become vulnerable infestations other problems This issue several I treat greater detail assessing goals modern agriculture I wished devote describing small setting Midwest because although I cultural famly married another experience isolated community physical social order perhaps earliest cross cultural adventure I chose consciously influential Attempting explain understand inter cultural experiences personal necessity serve broader matters In applying prism agriculture choices different societies making present future their landscapes ambition clarification emerge about which values unify inform might individuals citizens nations negotiate through cultural historical differences better relationship environment As I Midwest I realise socialization process important general theme experience cosmopolitan urbanites around country years chance transformation small Americans There never guarantee would place opportunity involvement While graduates stayed I guess different people exposure It valued expeiences I common Presdent He spent college years small Midwestern power recreate small America delivery impressed responsive Americans level My experience variant community including access needs opportunity personal relationships shopkeepers neighbors novel those grown never experienced these observations obvious useless But comin another experience East Coast suburban culture urban overseas allowed certain distance mainstream events images media fanfare Although unforeseeable small America prepared elements Japanese urban Perhaps daily interaction personalities these different places their distinctive structure encouraged people lives other where resemblances This lated encounter appreciation largely receded urban American economic given intuitions something similar appears under pressure change Japan where impulse comparisons arisen In Japan current process internationalization aspects domestic political economic creating predictable amounts tension disruption function collision taking place between economic systems shaped different cultural heritage traveling different directions Values about appropriate scale structure relationships within aspects nation farmin retailing distribution systems conflict approaches related abstract principles partly foreign origin although their advocates numerous inside outside nation Metropolitan Tokyo sprawling enormity large degree composed small three storey buildings definable neighborhoods served shopping lanes cordoned times hokoosha literally pedestrian heavens The small bakeries green grocers bookstores other businesses often homes merchants living quarters upper floors behind street facing rooms The Japanese appear aspects their village heritage these stores towns cities remain numerous visible These museum pieces either armed voice organizational power local development decisions where place convenience store supermarket strictly controlled matter To additional deree system strength present transforming structure which independent owners benefit supportive AAG I byzantine regulations A recent Japanese Itami Juzo highlights struggle within world strateems pittin energetic collectors against wiley private enterprise sizes A Taxin Woman minor although sequel meetin enthusiasm How distribution system involves these businesses characterised importers attempting wedge instructive Sometimes frustrations those outsiders entry system elicit comparisons mafia Japanese version La Cosa Nostra unable satisfactory access concentric circles tight relationships distribution chain expect circumven difficulty going these structures But reciprocal loyalties within network clear rewards Small shops offer service responsiveness customer because their suppliers communication If I purchase television local denkiya electronics store merchant something wrong I manufacturer taken street For I might willing forgoe factory outlet large discount house still entities Japan really offer appreciable difference price anyway because mutual areements price relatively tight chain bottom At foundation sharp economic conflict strictly because market mechanisms divergent dviews universalist values assumptions West conflict Japanese particularist values ultimately grist under grinding reform lateral trade talks braced title Structural Impediments Initiative While advantages slice Japanese system apparent within overlooks challenges fairly broad assumptions about international trade creates appearance duplicitousness maintains order another abroad How rules Who wrote rules anyway AAG I Particularly US where opportunities business created allow universalist impulse blend freely competitive marketing particularist decisive advantage enough loyal workers circle behind This functioned negatively history advantage gangland neighborhood bosses whose cronies formed alliances exacted protection monies their victims Rarely relationship served positive sense Local merchants associations understood isolated cases restrict growth Recently large shopping center appeared outside despite mustering resistance mercha Oberlin anxiously await outcome Whether people continue patronize downtown strip small shops drawn matter individual consumers whatever their motivations decide In society based beliefs about universal everybody shake choice although paradoxically jungle competitive struggle equal others constrain choices Neither system without these distortions stemming power control choices Not urban America choice purchasing things local merchant price little higher because closed shopping taken These written their design rlier forms shopping environments although obvious guiding assumption convenience shops within walking reach something people would willing drive distance order enjoy Individual proprietors likely their shoppers neighbors Mail order catalogs successful largely virtue image service product quality convey customers Personality attribute conveyed through connection mailbox delivery service A dominant shopping experience arrangements K Marts offer dollar slashing light specials where bargain hunting prime mover Unless lucky enough small America urban neighborhood where there remnants another AAG I distant places where small scale retailing still includes bargains The Japanese slowly traveling direction Discount chains opening suburbs convenience stores directly compete because nocturnal animals exploit different niches territory service night traffic salarimen college students And U S slowly banking toward values still visible there industries diverseautomobile manufacture agriculture interest qualities craftsmanship greater customer service responsiveness better warranties after services interest service related components freshness greater production emerging Is there point where these paths converge Or economic ships night As experimentation forms planning controlling growth proceed forms replace existing questions influence process where activity reinforces pattern another Received Hanover