This is the compelling story of how six prominent intellectuals shaped the conventional wisdom that came to characterize post-World War II Japan. These economists -- including Hyoe Ouchi, Hiromi Arisawa, Masao Takahashi and Ryokichi Minobe -- first rose to prominence in the pre-WWII era. Subsequently, as advisers, activists, pundits and, in Minobe's case, as governor of Tokyo, they promoted a progressive agenda.
They believed that the primary purpose of economic growth was to improve everyone's living standards, and that the state was responsible for helping those who needed it. Ouchi and his students "tried to strengthen civil society in ways that would temper arbitrary state power, defang militarism, provide a comprehensive economic safety net and give all Japanese the tools to challenge their government and institutionalize their political and economic priorities."
Laura Hein excels at capturing the ambiguities, ambivalences and compromises intrinsic to the efforts of these "reasonable" men. Socialist in principle, they worked extensively and productively within a conservative system to advance their agenda. They worked to achieve what was possible rather than doggedly sticking to what was ideal.