Taguchi Ukichi's Views on Civilizations and “Chinese Impact”: Rethinking Japan's Orientalism

Abstract

  This paper examines the views of Taguchi Ukichi (1855-1905), distinguished economist and historian in the Meiji era, on China through his comments on foreign policies.

  Known as “Adam Smith in Japan”, Taguchi undoubtedly was a conspicuous figure for his coherent liberal economic thought and unconquerable individualism in the Meiji period. Especially, he persistently advocated throughout his life that the foreign trade must be free for the prosperity of Japan. In general it can be said that Taguchi has been evaluated on such remarks, and that although he made a great contribution to cheer up spirits of independence, his economic thought was not based on real society from point of view that Japanese capitalism managed to succeed in industrialization under the impact of British free trade.

  In fact, his writings shows that he perceived little impact from the Western powers while his concern as a free trader concentrated on how to replace China in the Asian and Pacific trade. Taguchi analyzed that Britain could prosper because of her function as the central market in the West. Therefore, in order to make Japan the “Britain in the East”, she also have to become the central market in the East. From this viewpoint, Taguchi regarded Chinese harbors such as Shnaghai and Hong Kong as the strongest rivals. Taking into account the latest researches of economic history, it can be estimated that Taguchi precisely grasped the commercial power of Chinese merchants.

  On the other hand, Taguchi as well as Fukuzawa Yukichi began to exaggerate the stagnation of China after Kosin Jihen (Kosin Incident). Especially, notwithstanding Taguchi said that every society advanced according to the principle of evolution in Nihon Kaika Shoshi (A Short History of Japan's Enlightenment), Sina Kaika Shoshi (A Short History of China's Enlightenment) which he wrote in 1883-7. He insisted that China had been incessantly retarded by social and political anxieties since the dawn of history. His similar discourses are generally regarded as a typical example of Japan's orientalism. We can conclude, however, that such discourses were uttered in response to Chinese commercial impact and that his perception was not false in spite of his expression.