Innovation Local Government - Kakushinjichitai

This term refers to ordinary local governments in which a member of a progressive political party is elected as the head of the local government, or an independent is elected as the head of the local government with the recommendation of a progressive political party. Depending on how you define a progressive political party, which ordinary local governments are considered to be progressive municipalities will differ. However, generally speaking, it refers to ordinary local governments that do not conduct local politics directly connected to the government (in the past, the Liberal Democratic Party), but are led by a leader whose support base is the opposition party and its supporters, labor unions, various residents' groups, etc. Representative examples of what are generally called progressive local governments include Kyoto Prefecture under Governor Ninagawa Torazō (1950-1978), Tokyo under Governor Minobe Ryokichi (1967-1979), Kanagawa Prefecture under Governor Choshu Kazuji (1975-1995), and Yokohama City under Mayor Asukata Ichio (1963-1978). These progressive local governments were born one after another in the late 1960s and early 1970s, carrying the hopes of local residents amid the rise of resident movements calling for solutions to urban problems such as housing, land, and pollution brought about by the government's high-growth policies. The shift from development-first policies to welfare-first policies produced noteworthy results in the expansion of welfare, the regulation of pollution, and the improvement of educational conditions, and these policies later spread to other local governments, regardless of conservative or progressive affiliation, and even influenced national policies. Furthermore, in response to the demands of resident movements for participation in local politics, progressive local governments have also paved the way for the institutionalization of democratization of local administration, such as through resident participation and information disclosure. On the other hand, however, progressive local governments have many weaknesses and issues to overcome. These are evident in the instability of their support bases, reflecting the conflict between political parties at the national level, and the immaturity of regional industrial policies adapted to the era of low growth. This has given rise to the so-called reversal phenomenon of progressive local governments turning into "conservative-centrist" local governments. As the simple political structure of conservatives versus progressives collapses and the policies put forward by candidates and the voting behavior of voters become more diverse, the term "progressive local government" is rarely used anymore.

[Katsuya Ichihashi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

革新政党の党員が普通地方公共団体の長に選挙されるか、無党派の者が革新政党の推薦を得てその長に選挙される場合に、当該普通地方公共団体をさしてよんだことば。革新政党をどう定義するかによって、どの普通地方公共団体を革新自治体とみるかは異なってくる。ただ一般的には、政府（過去においては自由民主党）直結の地方政治を行うのではなく、野党とその支持者および労働組合、さまざまな住民団体などに支持基盤をおいた首長のもとにある普通地方公共団体のことをさした。一般に革新自治体とよばれた代表的な例として蜷川虎三(にながわとらぞう)知事時代の京都府（1950～1978）、美濃部亮吉(みのべりょうきち)知事時代の東京都（1967～1979）、長州一二(ながすかずじ)知事時代の神奈川県（1975～1995）、飛鳥田一雄(あすかたいちお)市長時代の横浜市（1963～1978）などがあげられる。こうした革新自治体は、1960年代後半から1970年代初めにかけて、政府の高度成長政策がもたらした住宅、土地、公害などの都市問題の解決を求める住民運動の高揚のなかで、地域住民の期待を担って次々に誕生した。そこでは、開発優先政策から福祉優先政策への転換により、福祉の拡充、公害の規制、教育条件の整備などで注目すべき実績が生まれ、それらの施策は、のちに保革を問わず他の自治体にも波及し、さらに国の政策にも影響をもたらした。また住民運動の地方政治への参加要求にこたえて、住民参加、情報公開など地方行政の民主化の面でも、革新自治体はその制度化の端緒を切り開いてきたといえる。しかしその反面で、革新自治体の弱点、克服すべき課題も少なくなかった。それは、国政レベルの政党間の対立を反映した支持基盤の不安定さ、低成長時代に対応した地域産業政策の未熟さなどから明らかになった。そのことが、革新自治体から「保守・中道」自治体へという、いわゆる逆転現象を生み出した。保守対革新という単純な政治構造が崩れ、候補者の掲げる政策および有権者の投票行動が多様化していくなかで、革新自治体ということばはほとんど使われなくなっている。

［市橋克哉］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例