S0912 The Intellectual Foundation of Modern Japan and Fukuzawa Yukichi

Fukuzawa Yukichi (1835-1901) is one of the most important public philosophers in modern Japan. As a writer-educator, he makes a great contribution to introducing Western civilization to Japan. Without playing an important role in the political process of the Meiji Revolution, he understands most clearly the historical meaning of the structural transformation of society through the revolution and gives orientation to Japan as a modern state. In a word, he is one of the intellectual founding fathers of modern Japan.
This course (re)considers through the lens of Fukuzawa’s life and works the historical experience of Japanese people in the modern age. Issues to be discussed are the following:
a) The life of Fukuzawa and his basic philosophy
b) Fukuzawa and the Meiji Revolution
c) Fukuzawa and the Movement for Freedom and People’s Rights
d) Fukuzawa and the Meiji State
e) Fukuzawa’s Legacy: Maruyama Masao and postwar Japan
f) Fukuzawa and Western civilization
g) Fukuzawa and Western thinkers: Guizot, Buckle, J.S. Mill, Tocqueville, Spencer
h) Fukuzawa and Asia: in comparison with Sun Wen and Gandhi