noun. the political principle of centralized social and economic control, especially of all means of production.

Collectivism is a political theory associated with communism. More broadly, it is the idea that people should prioritize the good of society over the welfare of the individual. In a collectivist system, power should be in the hands of the people as a whole, not in the hands of a few powerful folks.

Collectivism, any of several types of social organization in which the individual is seen as being subordinate to a social collectivity such as a state, a nation, a race, or a social class. Collectivism may be contrasted with individualism (q.v.), in which the rights and interests of the individual are emphasized.

Collectivism focuses on group goals, what is best for the collective group, and personal relationships. Individualist persons set personal goals and objectives based on self. Individualistic workers are very comfortable working with autonomy and not part of a team. The collectivist is motivated by group goals.

This shows that Japan is a collectivistic society meaning they put group harmony above the expression of individual opinions (Hofstede Insights, n. d.). According to Moran, Abramson, and Moran (2014) group leadership is more highly regarded than individual initiative.

Japan, with a low score of 42, is shown to have a culture of Restraint. Societies with a low score in this dimension have a tendency to cynicism and pessimism. Also, in contrast to Indulgent societies, Restrained societies do not put much emphasis on leisure time and control the gratification of their desires.

Power Distance is the “extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions accept and expect that power is distributed unequally.” The United States has a lower power distance, where all people feel entitled to a certain amount of power.