Beaverbrook - 1st Baron Beaverbrook

British journalist and politician. His real name was William Maxwell Aitken. He was born to a clergyman in Ontario, Canada. He failed the university entrance exam and became a stockbroker, becoming known as a millionaire. In 1910, he went to Britain and was elected as a member of the House of Commons. He was involved in the management of the Daily Express newspaper, and later became its owner, managing its Sunday and evening papers as well. He was created a baron in 1917. During World War II, he served as Minister of Aircraft Production, but he is famous for declaring that newspapers were published for advertising purposes. While he advocated for federalism, he was also close friends with powerful figures in the political world from World War I, and later wrote about their inside stories in The Politician and the War (1928-1932). He was also active internationally in a variety of fields, including as president of the University of New Brunswick in Canada.

[Shinichi Ito]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

イギリスの新聞人、政治家。本名はWilliam Maxwell Aitken。カナダ、オンタリオ州の牧師の家に生まれる。大学入試に失敗して証券取引業者となり、百万長者といわれるようになった。1910年イギリスに渡って下院議員に当選、そのころから『デーリー・エクスプレス』紙の経営に関係、のちにその所有者となり、日曜紙、夕刊紙をも経営した。1917年男爵に叙せられた。第二次世界大戦中は航空機生産相なども務めたが、新聞は宣伝のために発行しているのだと公言したことで有名。英連邦主義を唱える一方、第一次世界大戦中から政界の実力者と親しく交わり、のちにその内幕を『政治家と戦争』（1928～1932）に書いたほか、カナダのニュー・ブランズウィック大学学長を務めるなど、広く国際的にもさまざまな分野で活動した。

［伊藤慎一］

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