The Folly of Cross-Cultural Comparisons

[ncthorn]

I recently saw a Facebook discussion where one individual suggested that the US adopt firearm laws like the UK and Japan. We have all heard this before and when you think about it, it is totally absurd. Last night, I decided to do a little research on the matter and did find a few interesting points. I should point out that the Kates and Mauser study, as well as David Kopel's work should be required reading for anyone who wants to curb the ignorance. This is as much my analysis of their work as it is my thoughts on the comparison itself.

The Folly of Cross-Cultural Comparisons | Modern Rifleman

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I posted here awhile back that both sides cherry pick the countries they want to compare us to. Pro-gun control picks Japan, Anti-gun control picks Sweden, etc. They both look for wherever their ideal has worked, and ignore other factors.

Even the often cited "dictators take the guns first" sentiments have multiple, and recent, exceptions. Middle Eastern dictators often don't disarm the population, for example.

Gun control is one small aspect of a culture, and in and of itself isn't that powerful.

 

[CitiusFortius]

I think it goes to the attitude of the people. Sorry folks, but the Japanese are a much more respective culture. I remember reading a story that when they were starving after the tsunami, nobody would break into vending machines for food.

In America, we are more individualistic. What's good for me is good for me, screw everyone else.

That's also where much of our violence comes from. If I feel disrespected, I will take care of it myself etc.

The Japanese are more society focused, we're focused on the individual. I won't say one's a better or worse world view than the other, but they certainly are different.

 

[cosermann]

...Gun control is one small aspect of a culture ...

Yup. Actually, cherry picking from different countries to show whatever conclution one wants, is a good way to show that guns AREN'T source of the problem, and that the remaining social/cultural factors have far more affect on balance. Think about it - crime is a BEHAVIOR. The tools used in the commission thereof are of lesser importance and often totally irrelevant (does a victim care if he's killed by a knife, rope, or gun?).

Take a look at a listing of countries by per capita firearms ownership, and the list of countries by murder rate. There's little or no correlation. Example: The U.S. is #1 in per capita gun ownership [1], but in about the middle of the pack with respect to murder rate [2].

[1] - Number of guns per capita by country - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[2] - List of countries by intentional homicide rate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(you can sort by columns in the above tables)

The more relevant scenarios to look at are the before & after comparisons of the SAME countries/states - before and after gun control or self-defense promoting measures. So for example, looking at crime in Great Britain or Australia before/after their most recent gun prohibitions, or various U.S. states before/after shall-issue legislation yield answers closest to the objective truth.

And that truth is more guns in the hands of responsible citizens = less crime.

 

[KoopaKGB]

I think it goes to the attitude of the people. Sorry folks, but the Japanese are a much more respective culture. I remember reading a story that when they were starving after the tsunami, nobody would break into vending machines for food.

In America, we are more individualistic. What's good for me is good for me, screw everyone else.

That's also where much of our violence comes from. If I feel disrespected, I will take care of it myself etc.

The Japanese are more society focused, we're focused on the individual. I won't say one's a better or worse world view than the other, but they certainly are different.

Yep people don't consider the different ways other cultures think. Of course Japan has few gun related deaths and very few gun rights, this from a country that valued the honor of a sword versus the cowardly use of a gun. They're the only country that I know of that actually went backwards with their weapon technology because they considered firearms use dishonorable.

American and Japanese laws are different because the peoples are VASTLY different. Folks don't think about it like that. Good example about the tsunami victims not breaking into the vending machines. In American we trammple walmart workers for Black Friday sales. Two very different cultures indeed.