Carbonized Terra: Paradox of Civilization

Abstract

Whether Asia or America, Europe or Africa, disasters happen all over the world and have been present at all periods in history, both recorded and unrecorded, and in societies of all creeds, whether Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, or of other religious identity. This book addresses the unnatural disasters and organizational accidents which arise as repercussions of natural hazards, revealing the current reality in Japan, where earthquakes, tsunamis, and typhoons are common, with particular reference to the Fukushima nuclear accident. Starting with the industrial revolution, modern social systems and administrative techniques have fostered the spread of unequal societies, a process which is continuing through the information and bioscience revolutions. Disasters are not merely an irregular factor affecting the economy, but more importantly cause great misery through loss of life, destruction of agricultural land, fisheries, and other sources of livelihood, and interruption of urban functions.