Abstract
It is commonly accepted that sociology of labour and industry in Japan had begun by Kunio Odaka on his study about professional sociology (1941).
But sociology of labour and industry has been grown with the development of capitalism, and sprouted through the solution of social problems. From such a point of view, some surveys of Gennosuke Yokoyama which had done at the period of industrial revolution in Japan, have been renewed understanding recently. And it is more remarkable that after Yokoyama some interesting surveys had done. First, we must refer to the social surveys of labour problems by Osaka City at 1919-1926. Next, “San Gyo Rodo Chosajyo” attempted surveys from stand point of Marxism at 1929-1933. These surveys made clear the conditions of labourer at the period of monopolistic capitalism in Japan. We can find out positive basis of sociology of labour in them.
In the same time, Keizo Fujibayashi constructed the method of labour surveys as a psychology of labourer. Emphasizing necessity of social surveys to inquire into the psychology of labourer, he insisted on the sociology of labour in quality. He could not make practical survey, but he would consistently criticize the capitalistic rationalization of industry. Comparing with him, Odaka's conception is less important, because his professional sociology is too moralistic to analyze the whole process of living about labourer. We must notice that Shizuo Matsushima, he had been led the sociology of labour and industry in post-war Japan, was influenced by Fujibayashi than Odaka.
