Fantasy and Capitalism: The Range of Nakano Shigeharu's A Fantasist and The Scenario (Kūsōka to Shinario)

Abstract

In this paper, I show how Nakano Shigeharu's novel A Fantasist and The Scenario is related to the debate on social realism during the 1930s, as well as the concept of Weltanschauung (understanding of the world), utopian socialism, and the reterritorialization of capitalism. Weltanschauung was one of the key concepts in the debate on social realism, and traces of this debate can be seen in the novel. I also examine the different meanings that Weltanschauung had for Nakano and Tosaka Jun in relation to the debate on technology (gijutsuron ronsō), and argue that the concept of fantasy (kūsō) is derived from utopian socialism (kūsōteki shakaishugi). Although from the point of view of historical materialism, utopian socialism is regarded as retrogressive, Nakano takes a more positive view of it in the novel. I also point out the persistent antagonism toward capitalism in the novel. Finally, I examine the relationship between fantasy and the movement of the reterritorialization of capitalism, which is close to Miki Kiyoshi's concept of Einbildungskraft (imagination), and show that the discrepancies in the novel work against the reterritorialization of capitalism.