Comparing apples and oranges.

The Japanese began industrializing in the 1870's.  By 1890, Japan was well
on its way to being a developed nation.

To make a meaningful comparsion one would compare American literacy in
1790 with Japanese literacy in 1840 with Korean literacy in 1890 with
Chinese literacy in 1940.  I suspect each of the four would be around
10-30 percent.  Show me otherwise, I'll eat crow.

Literacy in general coorelates less with culture than with economic development.
A peasant in general has neither the time nor the need to learn how to read.

Actually, the values of Japanese and Chinese regarding education are remarkable
similar, which is hardly surprising since the Japanese adopted the Chinese
philosophy of Confucianism.  The educational systems are also similar since
both are modeled after the European systems of the late-1800's.  The difference
is in the economies of the two nations.

Innuedo does not become you.

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Joseph Wang (j...@athena.mit.edu)           Wake Up! Wake Up!
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