＂Independence and Self-Respect＂ and ＂Other-Consciousness＂ in the Thoughts of Masao Maruyama and Yukichi Fukuzawa

Title

＂Independence and Self-Respect＂ and ＂Other-Consciousness＂ in the Thoughts of Masao Maruyama and Yukichi Fukuzawa

Author

Jian-Ying OU

Page

107-146

DOI

10.6163/tjeas.2016.13(1)107

Abstract

When Japan launched its full-scale invasion of China in the mid-20th Century, Masao Maruyama, one of the few intellectual resisters under the extremely isolated situation, promoted the idea of ＂Independence and Self- Respect＂ of Yukichi Fukuzawa, assuming its significance for the spirit revolution of the Japanese citizens. However, he remained unaware of the importance of ＂Other-Consciousness＂ at the time. After World War II, Maruyama performed a full-scale historic examination of Fascism, and analyzed the psychological structure of the Japanese society as well as the consciousness of German citizens in the World War II period. As a result, he recognized that if people lacked ＂Other-Consciousness,＂ Fascism could occur. In addition, when Maruyama later deepened his study of the modern mass society, he also noticed that ＂Other- Consciousness＂ is indispensable for establishing the spirit of ＂independence and self-respect＂ as well. By this time, he newly found the origin of the concept of correlation between ＂Independence and Self-Respect＂ and ＂Other- Consciousness＂ in Fukuzawa's thought. This winding continuum reflects the interaction between the thought of Maruyama and Fukuzawa who lived in different times, and that between Western thought and East Asian thought.

Keyword

Independence and Self-respect, Other-Consciousness, Masao Maruyama, Yukichi Fukuzawa, The West, Confucianism, Intellectual Feature

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