The Formation of a Theory of Population in Post－war Japan: in Relation to How Prof. Minami and Prof. Ichihara Contributed to the Study of Malthus’ Essay

Abstract

The aim of this essay is to trace some distinctions in the methodology of demography or population theory between Prof. Minami (1896－1985) of Chuo University and Prof. Ichihara (1926－1982) of Kansai University. In the postwar era (1952－1981) of Japan, they both regularly lectured on Population Theory in the faculty of economics. This paper primarily focuses on two different key points between them. The first point concerns the interpretation of Malthus’s Essays. Minami endeavored to grasp its essence as the two principles (the regulating principle and the principle of increase) of population. From this point of view, he emphasized the progressive and retrogressive oscillations of society, and consequently could find an original model of interdisciplinary population theories in Malthus’s Essays. However, Ichihara argued against Minami’s position. He urged that Malthus only disputed matters while presupposing civil society (based upon private property and monogamy). The second point is as follows: Though Minami insisted that population statistics was merely an auxiliary means to the theory of population in relation to Malthus’s Essays, he argued that demography should be based upon population statistics. Ichihara tried to restrict this proposal from the view of political economics, seeking to reason that population patterns (for example, the law of sex ratio in population) established by the Political Arithmeticians would be the most important starting point in building up this science.