The Impact of Wealth Concentration on Constitutional Values and the Possibility of Controlling Them

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K12627
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 05020:Public law-related
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Kinoshita Masahiko 神戸大学, 法学研究科, 教授 (90456096)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 憲法 / 経済的自由 / 経済的平等 / 経済法 / 富の集中 / プラットフォーム / 民主主義 / 戦後経済改革

Outline of Final Research Achievements

First, this study reveals the impact of the concentration of wealth/economic power on constitutional values. The concentration of wealth and economic power has a significant impact on fundamental constitutional values such as democracy and freedom of expression. Second, this study clarified the relationship between the development of Japanese constitutional precedents and the concentration of wealth/economic power. The development of democracy in Japan began with the dismantling of wealth concentration, as in the case of land reform, zaibatsu dissolution, and wealth taxation, and has since adopted methods to prevent the re-expansion of wealth concentration through various economic legal measures. Third, this study pointed out that the concentration of wealth and economic dominance has once again created serious problems due to the situation of oligopoly of platform companies and made several recommendations on how to deal with this situation.

Free Research Field

憲法

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまで、富の集中という現象は、憲法問題として十分に認識されては来なかった。そのような状況のなかで、本研究は、富の集中がもたらす民主主義や憲法上の権利への影響を論じることで、富の集中を憲法問題の一つとして捉えなおそうとする先駆的な学術的成果をあげることができたと考える。また、本研究は、芸能事務所の寡占やデジタル・メディア・プラットフォームの寡占という現代的問題にも着目し、その寡占・独占がもたらす憲法的影響とその影響を制御するための独占禁止法制の在り方についても具体的な提言を行うことに成功しており、今日の日本社会が直面する問題に対して一定の法的解決策を提示できたと考えている。