最近有朋友提起中國人的戲說歷史的話題。碰巧看了湯姆庫魯斯的電影《最後的武士（the Last Samurai）》，感到洋人戲說起歷史來，比起我們中國人那是有過之而無不及。中國人戲說，至少還坦白，古有《三國演義》，今有《戲說乾隆》之類，至少那是明白提醒讀者觀眾，我這是在演義，戲說。不可真當歷史看。而無論人物還是事件，往往皆有所本。即使如此，還不知有多少人直把《三國演義》當歷史書來讀。而美國人戲說，除了人物事件無有所本而外，一切看上去好像都是真的。憑藉一個抽象虛空的理念，就可以編造歷史，而且就是要給你造成這就是歷史的假象。加上好萊塢的聲光電技的藝術手段，引人入勝的曲折情節，和帥哥猛男美女的精彩演繹，真能把人帶入這無何有之鄉，改寫掉實際的歷史篇章呢。
更加嚴重的問題是，日本的明治維新，從根本上講，是具有歷史進步意義的事件。而武士作為一個階層，卻是一個沒落的反進步的勢力。武士叛亂，就是他們秉持其作為一個階級的道德優越感，拒絕放棄武士階級的舊有特權，反對維新改革。而且這樣的武士其實也只是少數人。 當時的武士階層約占3500萬日本人口的百分之五，日本的統治精英，包括那些主張現代化的絕大多數人也都是武士（其中許多就來自西鄉隆盛的薩摩），他們作出決定，消除自己的特權。絕大多數的武士沒有抗議，沒有反抗，都轉化為警察，軍人，或教師，以新的身份為國家和地方政府盡職。而在電影中，這些主張現代化的人士被表現為十足的邪惡。少數反叛的武士，卻成了高貴，純粹的英雄。作者通過不斷地閃回阿爾格倫對印第安戰爭中美國人屠殺印第安婦女和兒童的畫面的回憶，試圖造成一種與日本政府軍屠殺武士的類比。所以有人（Martin Lefebvre）評論說，這是一部奇怪，混亂，語無倫次的電影（a bizarre, confused, and ultimately incoherent film）。
電影試圖在美洲印第安人與武士之間形成的這種類比關係，他們的冥想，音樂，自然，靈性，簡單、美好的生活，自律性，和榮譽感，讓人立即意識到一系列其他好萊塢西部電影中塑造的“高尚”的印第安人的形象。而他們的對立面，就是日本政府軍與野蠻的美國印第安征服者的類比。這一類片子，如《大地英豪（The Last of the Mohicans）》《夏延的秋天（Cheyenne Autumn）》，《與狼共舞（Dances with Wolves）》等。這種將日本傳統和現代化與西方對印第安文化的入侵的簡單化的類比，造成了這個電影的硬傷。他在日本的日本傳統和現代化之間選擇傳統，而這個傳統又正是日本右翼保守勢力，反西方勢力，民粹派，軍國主義，法西斯主義和日本帝國主義的思想根源。它植根於明治時期，大行於昭和年間，直接導致了1910年對朝鮮的併吞，30年代血腥的中日戰爭，和1941年的珍珠港事件。這種對現代化的批判，與美國的民粹主義相重合，片中那個貪婪，嗜權的大村代表美國民粹主義者所反對的政府。具有諷刺意義的是，這樣一來，電影的製作者莫名其妙地扮演了日本法西斯政治的吹鼓手。它對美國帝國主義的批判，卻直接將自己引向日本帝國主義，法西斯主義和軍國主義。
Statism Kokka shugi? in Sh wa Japan sometimes also referred to as "Japanese right socialism" or "Sh wa Nationalism" refers to a political syncretism of Japanese right-wing political ideologies, developed over a period of time from the Meiji Restoration, and dominating Japanese politics during the first part of the Sh wa period reign of Hirohito . These ideas mixed Japanese nationalism and Japanese militarism ideas with "state capitalism", and were proposed by a number of contemporary political philosophers and thinkers in Japan.
Japanese nationalism is in fact quite different from European fascism, yet in parts its development can be seen as comparable.
The Yamato Empire had the concept of the state as led by a powerful singular leader Emperor . In feudal times, the military caste, which included the bushi and the samurai, were organized as a single headquarters-like structure, the Shogunate, which represented the required civil and political power. In this period, the Shogunate constituted the basic social composition, power structures and the foundation of law. It can be divided into three stages Kamakura Period 1185 1333 , Muromachi Period 1338 1573 and Tokugawa Period 1603 1867 .
After the Meiji Restoration and the birth of the Empire of Japan, the result seems similar to what has been described above, yet it developed under different circumstances.
The ultranationalism movement in Japan can trace its origins to the disaffected samurai class, who lost their social status and privileges in the Meiji Restoration. Disgruntled samurai rose in a number of unsuccessful rebellions including the Saga Rebellion, Satsuma Rebellion, etc. against the new order. When violent protest proved ineffective, many turned to political movements, both in terms of political parties and in militant secret societies. Politically, under the aegis of the Freedom and People's Rights Movement, the rightists campaigned for a Constitution, which would allow them to get elected into positions of power. Within the secret societies, such as the Genyosha and the Black Dragon Society, they formed paramilitary organizations which assisted the Imperial Japanese Army in the First Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War, while politically striving towards greater Japanese expansionism under the aegis of Pan-Asianism, which would give the military more of a role in Japanese politics and society.
The military had a strong influence on Japanese society from the Meiji Restoration.<strong> Almost all leaders in Japanese society during the Meiji period whether in the military, politics or business were ex-samurai or descendants of samurai, and shared a common set of values and outlooks. The early Meiji government viewed Japan as threatened by western imperialism, and one of the prime motivations for the Fukoku Kyohei policy was to strengthen Japan's economic and industrial foundations, so that a strong military could be built to defend Japan against outside powers.</strong>
