A Sociological Research on the Existence and the Structure of a World System

1986 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 60301026
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Co-operative Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: 社会学(含社会福祉関係)
• Research Institution: Chuo University
• Principal Investigator: FURUKI Toshiaki Chuo University, 法学部, 教授 (70055185)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): OGURA Mitsuo Tsudajyuku University, 学芸学部, 助教授 (40055322) ; NAKAMURA Heihachi Kanagawa University, 経済学部, 教授 (10078280) ; KIDA Akio Ritsumeikan University, 産業社会学部, 助教授 (50094503) ; SEINO Masayoshi Ritsumeikan University, 産業社会学部, 教授 (30066659) ; SYOJI Kokichi Tokyo University, 文学部, 助教授 (30061203)
• Project Period (FY): 1985 – 1986
• Keywords: World System / World Society / Neo-nationalism / International Experience / 国際インフォーメーション

Research Abstract

1. Depending on the stock of studies concerned with the project, we have built up the following working hypotheses: (1) The framework of a world society would be necessary to cope with the crises of a mankind today. (2) A world society would be composed of uneven structures: center, semi-periphery and periphery, as a result of which there would be a worldwide ethnic class structure. (3) Japanese society would have raised itself to the center of a world society, as a result of which the neo-nationalism would be coming to the fore in it.
2. On the basis of these working hyptheses, we made two surveys. The first was an interview survey of 25 intellectuals at Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima and Sendai. The second was an opinion survey of the citizens at Yokohama(the numbers of samples:455), Tokyo(602) and Osaka(600).
3. The central research findings are presented as follows. (1) An interview survey of intellectuals: 1) According to their own careers, almost all recognise the crises of a mankind today and some insist that it is necessary to organize a world society or a world federation across the nation states. 2) Regarding to the Japanese and Japanese society, in spite of the agreement on their economic, national excellence, most feel apprehensions for the growing of the neo-nationalism today. (2) An opinion survey of citizens: 1) The enlargement of middle class identification and privatization are remarkable, based on the centralization of Japanese society in a world society, as a result of which a feeling of the neo-nationalism is spreading among the citizens. 2) This is related to the spread of international experiences and the increase of international informations, both of which are mostly concentrated at the West. Just, the more internationalization develops, the more neo-nationalism grows.