Tocqueville's Theory of Democracy - America, France and Japan: course description
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Reiji Matsumoto, Waseda University
Tocqueville has not traveled in Japan and has nothing to say about Japan. Democracy in America is a book about America written for the French people. Nevertheless, one could find in it many useful suggestions for thinking about Japan, its history and society.
This course (re)considers in the comparative perspective of Tocqueville some important aspects of Japanese democracy. After briefly outlining Tocqueville’s theory of democracy and discussing its relevancy to Japan, I shall discuss the following issues:
a) Equality and equalization in modern Japan
b) Centralization and decentralization in Japan
c) Three revolutions: The American, the French, and the Meiji
d) The role of the military in modern Japan and Tocqueville’s view of democratic army
e) The formation of the democratic family in Japan
f) “Civil society” in Japan and Tocqueville’s theory of associa
This course (re)considers in the comparative perspective of Tocqueville some important aspects of Japanese democracy. After briefly outlining Tocqueville’s theory of democracy and discussing its relevancy to Japan, I shall discuss the following issues:
a) Equality and equalization in modern Japan
b) Centralization and decentralization in Japan
c) Three revolutions: The American, the French, and the Meiji
d) The role of the military in modern Japan and Tocqueville’s view of democratic army
e) The formation of the democratic family in Japan
f) “Civil society” in Japan and Tocqueville’s theory of associa
