共同体的編成原理の射程(<特集>調和する社会の諸相)

抄録

Since the 1970s, globalization-driven by the fury of market fundamentalism-has been underway at an accelerated pace. As a result, social issues have become more grave, including the decline of the welfare state, transformation of employment structures, widening income disparities, and the poverty problem. In confronting these realities, we sought to relativize market fundamentalism, and we published this discussion in a joint work as Kokyo suru Shakai(IDE E., KIKUCHI T., HANDA M.(eds.)Creating a Harmonious Society: Political Economy of Social Configuration, Nakanishiya Shuppan in 2011). This book focused on the debate on the conclusions obtained by an artificial society model based on multi-agent simulation. In short, society is generally made up of three autonomous sub-systems-communities, markets, and states (governments)-and we clearly indicated that the community principle was key in order for these to keep each other in balance, establishing a harmonious society as a whole. We indicated that the community principle based upon altruism, the essence of which is mutual help and reciprocity, holds the potential to build a sustainable society. In this paper, I have discussed the feasibility of an alternative society with the community principle at its core. In the paper, I have made the following arguments. I revised the economic table created by Professor Sekine, Thomas T. and created anew an economic table of society made up of four divisions(local communities, cities, large enterprises, public bodies). I was able to identify the relationship of absolute domination by local communities-which are the essence of the community principle-through sharing ownership of national land and possessing rights to allocate land use among the other 3 divisions. In addition to this, in regard to the "common" generated in the city, it is essential to explore ways of management by urban communities capable of confronting the erosion of market principles. At the same time, I also found that solidarity and cooperation between urban communities and local communities have major significance in the formation of an alternative society with the community principle at its core.