摘要
明治时期日本思想界为了论证民族扩张的合理性与合法性,宣扬了一整套理论。该理论起源于西方传入日本的社会达尔文主义的“弱肉强食”思想。从这种思想出发,根据本国在亚洲文明程度的领先状况,日本思想界提出“文明征服野蛮”的理论,认为日本已经是亚洲“文明强国”,在世界上可以同欧美列强并驾齐驱,因而应当在亚洲成为“食他人者”。另一方面,日本思想界又提出,亚洲各国是“野蛮落后”的社会,所以只能成为“被食者”。再进一步推断,日本思想界又宣扬,文明进步的日本向野蛮落后的东亚各国扩张,“输出文明”并“保护”那里受苦受难的各民族,成为日本“义不容辞”的责任。因此,民族扩张的“正义性”似乎得到了“合理的”解读,明治日本思想界为狭隘的民族主义煽动下的军国主义扩张提供了所谓“正当性”诠释。
In the Meiji period, Japanese intellectual circles promoted a set of theories designed to demonstrate the rationality and legitimacy of Japanese expansion. These originated in the social Darwinist idea of the “law of the jungle”[literally,“the strong prey on the weak”], introduced into Japan from the West. Starting from this point, and believing that Japan was leading the way in Asian civilization, Japanese intellectuals put forward the theory that “the civilized conquers the barbarian”. Japan, being already a “civilized power” in Asia, could compete on a world scale alongside Europe and the United States, so it was the strong nation to which the weak of Asia fell prey. Moreover, the Meiji intellectuals regarded other Asian countries as “barbaric and backward” societies only fit to be “prey”. Taking this position a step further, they promoted the idea that Japan had a moral duty to “export civilization” and “protect” the suffering peoples of Asia. The “justice” of Japanese expansion thus seemed to have acquired a “rational” interpretation. Fanning the flames of parochial nationalism, the Meiji intellectuals provided a “legitimate” interpretation for the expansion of militarism.
出处
《历史研究》
CSSCI
北大核心
2019年第3期135-151,192,共18页
Historical Research
基金
四川省哲学社会科学基金项目“日本近代民族主义的复杂性研究”(SC17B082)的阶段性成果