Work and culture in early modern Japan

要旨

Japan&s;s breathtaking modernization since the opening of the country in the middle of the nineteenth century and its tremendous economic success following defeat in 1945 have been topics of great interest among politicians, businessmen, and scientists in Japan and abroad. Western businessmen are trying to emulate the economic policy of their rival, and scientists are looking for the roots of Japan&s;s recent success story. In recent years scholars interested in the historical background and spiritual ingredients of the Japanese work ethic have taken their point of departure from Max Weber&s;s comparative sociology of world religions. Rational calculation, i.e. double bookkeeping, makes the modern capitalist entrepreneur&s;s activities dissimilar to all earlier kinds of usury and adventure capitalism. Confucianism of the Chinese bureaucracy is completely different; virtues like benevolence, humanism, individualism, and literary interest are held very high.

主題