science · 18 July 1769 · 255 years ago
birth
Born 18 Jul 1769; died 17 Feb 1850 at age 80.
Japanese scientist and an early advocate of Westernization in Japan. He favoured the development of an authoritarian type of government based on Western science and political institutions. As an agronomist, Satô Nobuhiro wrote in Keizai yôryaku (The Epitome of Economy), "The rationale of economy is to manage the realm, develop goods, make domains affluent, and succor everyone." In short, economy was the know-how to succour people. Sato Nobuhiro, held the European powers to be a threat, and advocated economic reform so that Japan could build up its military to stave off the Western menace. Even this contrary perspective advocated expansionism much like the Imperialism of the European nations. Also prevalent in his writings are the call for urgent and drastic change in the Japanese system. He advocated for the development of transportation and for a government agency to fund such developments in order to encourage the nation's commerce.
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