The Civil Revolution of We
Writer Profile
Yumiko Sakuma
Other : WriterKeio University alumni
Yumiko Sakuma
Other : WriterKeio University alumni
2021/03/09
On December 15, 2020, I published a non-fiction book titled "The Civil Revolution of We" through Asahi Press. It was originally conceived as a sequel to "Hip Lifestyle Revolution," which was published by the same publisher in 2014. I used the word "revolution" in that book to describe the changes in American consumer sentiment triggered by the 2008 financial crisis, but later, faced with climate change becoming more serious by the day, I came to believe that I had to write a book about a more fundamental system change—that is, a true reform, not a metaphor. I handed the manuscript to my editor in early 2020, summarizing what consumers can do now by reporting on consumer movements that became active like volcanoes with the inauguration of the Trump administration, and the activism of Millennials and Gen Z trying to stop global warming by urging governments and companies to take proactive measures. However, due to the dramatic social changes caused by the arrival of the novel coronavirus, I ended up rewriting it significantly. I wanted to release it in the summer, but the work of trying to capture a moving target was more difficult than expected, and I managed to publish it before the end of the first year of the 2020s.
Scientists have long warned that unknown viruses could emerge as ecosystems collapse due to climate change, but this development put a sudden brake on existing capitalism, and reforms sought by those described as progressive or far-left began to be put into practice. Policies to reduce income inequality, such as raising the minimum wage and expanding welfare, began to be implemented. Local governments began making their own efforts to reduce the uninsured population in order to suppress the virus.
The peculiar situation in which the incumbent president did not recognize the election results revealed the division in America, but substantive reforms are progressing daily in the field of administration. I can say with confidence that the Biden administration would not have been born without the consumer movements that occurred during the four years of the Trump administration. What I ultimately wanted to convey is that social change is not only possible but essential. I hope this will be an opportunity to think about what you can do to improve the society to which you belong.
*Affiliations and job titles are as of the time of publication.