Upheaval

Upheaval enlightens you by telling the stories of seven countries that fell into crises, including how they got there and what they did to get out, and identifies the common threads between all of them.

Those who have reached adulthood have experienced some sort of crisis. Maybe it was an identity crisis of adolescence. Or maybe it was at another time of transition such as mid-life or retirement. They can be sudden or gradual, but whatever it is, it’s probably a sign that the way you are approaching life isn’t working quite right for you and it’s time for a change.

The same thing happens to countries. Nations find that the way things are going isn’t working and there needs to be a change. An example of this is an estimate that says US cities will have a technology crisis every 12 years. As technology changes, infrastructure and systems that keep the city running quickly become obsolete.

Diamond identifies 12 factors that can help us find a solution, whether it’s personal or at a national level:

Acknowledging the problem. You can’t address a problem if you choose not to see it.  Taking responsibility and choosing to respond.  Differentiating between what needs to change and what is important enough to your identity that it shouldn’t change. This is also known as selective change.  Get help from those around you.  Look at the way others have responded to similar crises.  Recognizing your identity, whether national or personal.  Doing an honest self-appraisal.  Recognizing and learning from crises you’ve experienced in the past.  Dealing with failure with patience.  Having flexibility.  Determine core values.  Identifying what is making selective change difficult.

Let’s look at history now to see how some of these may apply.

Traditionally, Japan held isolationist views. So naturally, in the 1850s when the US came demanding access to ports for trading in the Pacific on their shores, they weren’t happy. Many didn’t want the deal because there was no benefit to Japan, but others thought it was foolhardy to believe they could continue to be isolated. This all came to a head when a new leader tried to modernize Japan and open it to foreigners, which lead to a coup and a civil war. The war ended in a new leader, which brought in the Meiji era. The new leaders soon realized the other leaders were right: Japan couldn’t remain isolated and needed to be modernized to become a respected player on the worldwide stage. They first acknowledged the problem, then sought out ways to change by having an honest self-assessment. They made selective changes, such as welcoming Western education and building military power, all while keeping much of their tradition. It…