Research on Democracy in Postwar Japan and the Social Engagement of Intellectuals from the Standpoint of the History of Thought

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K12973
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 01040:History of thought-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University (2021-2022); Doshisha University (2019-2020)
• Principal Investigator: Watanabe Yasuhiko 京都大学, 大学文書館, 特定助教 (90817727)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 高橋和巳 / 戦後知識人 / 戦後民主主義 / 全共闘運動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Grasping Takahashi Kazumi, who is a novelist, as a postwar intellectual and comparing his thought with the thought of Haniya Yutaka, Takeuchi Yoshimi and Yoshimoto Ryumei, I have revealed Takahashi’s view on democracy in postwar Japan and intellectuals. Having done so, his recognition of the situation became clear. He recognized that the Japanese in postwar Japan were not able to understand the defeat ideologically and that transcendent value is absent from their position. His support for the University of Kyoto’s Zenkyoto was based on his discontent with the situation in postwar Japan. Considering the forming of his thought, I analyzed the University of Kyoto’s struggle in 1969. Focusing on the process of teachers in the general education course supporting the struggle and setting up the teachers’ All-Campus Joint Struggle league, I have curated the exhibition “Reconsideration of Affairs in 1969” (hosted by Kyoto University Archives) displaying recently discovered documents.

Free Research Field

思想史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

高橋和巳の小説や評論は、全共闘世代に広く読まれたが、近年では顧みられることが少なくなっていた。本研究では、高橋の思想形成と時代状況とを照らし合わせ、埴谷雄高や竹内好から受けた影響や全共闘を支持するに至った経緯について、思想形成史的に明らかにした。戦後知識人の一人として高橋を位置付けることがある程度できたと考えている。
京都大学大学文書館企画展「1969年再考」では、大学知識人・学生・大学といった複数の当事者の視点を導入して展示内容を構成した。1969年の歴史的検証を進めるにあたって、当事者であった人々へのはたらきかけになったのではないかと思われる。