American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 22 (2001) Winner
Chalmers A. Johnson
チャルマーズ・A・ジョンソン
Chalmers A. Johnson
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1931-08-06 （Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.）
- Died
- 2010-11-20 （Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California, U.S.） age 79
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Phoenix (birth) → Berkeley, California (academic career) → San Diego, California (later years)
Career
- Occupations
- political scientist, East Asian studies scholar, university professor, author, public intellectual
- Active Years
- 1953-2010
- Affiliations
- University of California, Berkeley, University of California, San Diego, Japan Policy Research Institute (co-founder), University of San Francisco (associated)
- Memberships
- Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- Influenced
- Cynthia Enloe (doctoral student), Steven Clemons (co-founder, collaborator)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of California, Berkeley | College of Letters and Science (Economics) | Economics | BA | 1949–1953 | United States |
| University of California, Berkeley | Graduate Division (Political Science) | Political Science | MA | 1954–1957 | United States |
| University of California, Berkeley | Graduate Division (Political Science) | Political Science | PhD | 1957–1961 | United States |
University of California, Berkeley
College of Letters and Science (Economics)
/ Economics
Degree:
BA
Period:
1949–1953
Year of Graduation:
1953
Country:
United States
University of California, Berkeley
Graduate Division (Political Science)
/ Political Science
Degree:
MA
Period:
1954–1957
Year of Graduation:
1957
Country:
United States
University of California, Berkeley
Graduate Division (Political Science)
/ Political Science
Degree:
PhD
Period:
1957–1961
Year of Graduation:
1961
Country:
United States
Doctoral research focused on China/Japan studies
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Before Columbus Foundation Prize | Blowback | — | Before Columbus Foundation | 受賞 |
Before Columbus Foundation Prize
2001
Work:
Blowback
Organization:
Before Columbus Foundation
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Peasant Nationalism and Communist Power
1962 Academic (political science/China studies)An academic study analyzing peasant movements in China and the rise of Communist power, examining the relationship between peasant nationalism and revolution.
peasant movementsmodern Chinese historyrevolution
MITI and the Japanese Miracle
1982 Public policy / Political economyAnalyzes Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) and the mechanisms behind Japan's postwar economic growth, contributing to the concept of the developmental state.
developmental stateindustrial policyJapanese economy
Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire
2000 Nonfiction / Political critiqueArgues how U.S. foreign policies (secret operations, overseas bases) produce 'blowback' and analyzes the consequences of American imperial behavior.
American imperialismmilitary basesforeign-policy blowback
The Sorrows of Empire: Militarism, Secrecy, and the End of the Republic
2004 Nonfiction / Political critiqueCriticizes the expansion of militarism and secrecy after 9/11 and discusses the dangers posed to American republicanism and democracy.
militarismsecrecydecline of democracy
Nemesis: The Last Days of the American Republic
2007 Nonfiction / Political critiqueExamines the long-term consequences of American imperial tendencies from historical, political, and economic perspectives; the concluding volume of his trilogy.
decline of empiresimperial overstretchcrisis of the republic
Dismantling the Empire: America's Last Best Hope
2010 Nonfiction / Political critiquePresents policy and political recommendations for reducing American hegemony and preserving the republic and democracy.
dismantling empirepolicy proposalsprotecting democracy
Bibliography
- Peasant Nationalism and Communist Power (1962)
- MITI and the Japanese Miracle (1982)
- Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire (2000)
- The Sorrows of Empire (2004)
- Nemesis: The Last Days of the American Republic (2007)
- Dismantling the Empire (2010)
Adaptations
- Featured in documentary film 'Why We Fight' (as expert)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- scholarly, evidence-based stylepolemic accessible to a public audiencecritical and argumentative tone
- Recurring Motifs
- critique of American imperialismissues of overseas bases and military powerdevelopmental state in Japanwarnings about democratic decline
Health
-
Rheumatoid arthritis晩年（長期）Long-term illness with complications from rheumatoid arthritis ultimately led to his death at home in 2010.
Legacy
Chalmers Johnson made significant contributions to Japan and China studies and political economy, notably helping to establish the concept of the developmental state and for his trenchant critique of U.S. foreign policy in the 'Blowback' trilogy. He influenced both academia and public debate.
Academic Societies
- American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Archives
- Archives at University of California, Berkeley (related holdings)
In Popular Culture
- Appeared as an expert in the documentary 'Why We Fight' (2005)
- Frequent contributions to media outlets and debate programs
Quotes
-
A nation can be one or the other, a democracy or an imperialist, but it can't be both. If it sticks to imperialism, it will, like the old Roman Republic, lose its democracy to a domestic dictatorship.
Source: Chalmers Johnson, Nemesis: The Last Days of the American Republic (2006)
Trivia
- Contributed to popularizing the term 'developmental state'.
- Co-founded the Japan Policy Research Institute with Steven Clemons.
- Served as a consultant to the CIA from 1967 to 1973.
- Died in 2010 from complications of rheumatoid arthritis.