Practice stories - Keikodan

A work by Kaiho Seiryo, an economist of the late Edo period. Five volumes. Published in 1813 (Bunka 10). This is the longest of Seiryo's many economic treatises, and it covers his economic thought. From the standpoint of economic rationalism, which was the most thorough in the early modern period, his unique economic thought is presented in a light-hearted manner. The contents of the work are: (1) based on the recognition that the real and urgent task of enriching the country is wealth, (2) a mercantilist policy is put forward at the domain level, (3) as ideological backing, the legitimacy of the pursuit of profit is positively given meaning under the concept of "Tenri," (4) from this perspective, a bold criticism is made of the trend of scorning commerce at the time, and (5) it is argued that the samurai class in particular should break away from their sense of being lowly merchants and become aware of themselves as utilitarian actors. These economic ideas can be said to have inherited and further developed those of Dazai Shundai, but unlike Shundai, he did not have the same attachment to Confucian authority and instead developed his discussions freely and frankly.

[Yasuhiro Kojima]

"Keikodan (Practice Talk)" edited by Sho Kuranami (included in "Nihon Shiso Taikei 44" (Iwanami Shoten, 1970)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸後期の経世家海保青陵(かいほせいりょう)の著作。5巻。1813年（文化10）に成る。青陵の多くの経済論のうちでもっとも長編で、彼の経世思想が網羅されている。近世でもっとも徹底した経済合理主義の立場から、特異な経世思想が軽妙な語り口で展開されている。内容は、(1)富国こそが現実の急務の課題であるとの認識のもとに、(2)藩単位の重商主義政策が打ち出され、(3)その思想的裏づけとして営利追求の正当性が「天理」の概念のもとに積極的に意義づけられ、(4)この観点にたって当時の商業蔑視(べっし)の風潮に対する大胆な批判が加えられ、(5)とりわけ武士階級が賤商(せんしょう)意識を脱却して功利的主体としての自覚を喚起すべきことが説かれている。これらの経世思想は太宰春台(だざいしゅんだい)のそれを継承し、さらに発展させたものといえるが、春台にみられるような儒教的権威へのこだわりはなく、自由闊達(かったつ)に議論が展開されている。

［小島康敬］

『蔵並省自校注「稽古談」（『日本思想大系44』所収・1970・岩波書店）』

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