‘일본문화론’의 관점에서 본 야마모토 시치헤이의 『일본자본주의의 정신』

Abstract

The Spirit of Japanese Capitalism(日本資本主義の精神), published by Yamamoto Shichihei(山本七平) in 1979, has been treated mostly focusing on Suzuki Shosan(鈴木正三) and Ishida Baigan(石田梅岩). For instance, it has been often said that the spirit of Japanese capitalism originated by Shosan in the early Edo period, was widely spread throughout the whole country by Baigan and his ‘Sekimon󰠏shingaku’(石門心學) in the late Edo period, producing ‘Japanese philosophy of diligence’ and as a result setting forward the accumulation of wealth through the hard work and frugality among farmers, craftsmen and tradesmen, etc. In sum, they say this book shows that the thoughts of Shosan and Baigan are the original forms of the spirit of Japanese capitalism. Of course, this point is of importance. Still, the perspective of so󰠏called ‘Nihonbunkaron’(日本文化論) or ‘Nihonjinron’(日本人論) might be of much notice, too. Because we can say that The Spirit of Japanese Capitalism must be a book which has described Nihonbunkaron based on work ethic of Shosan and Baigan. The purpose of this essay is to reexamine The Spirit of Japanese Capitalism for its total understanding from the perspective of Nihonbunkaron. In so doing, I will pay special attention to several aspects such as Yamamoto’s views on the dual structure of functional group and community, the relationship between Japanese Capitalism and religion, with analyzing main cultural codes such as Shigoto(仕事), Kuki(空氣), Seken(世間), Makoto(誠), Wa(和), and Nihonkyo(日本敎).