Self-Help

Japanese: 《Self-Help》（英語表記）SelfHelp

…This idea can be seen as one of the social manifestations of British liberalism brought about by the establishment of free trade. Samuel Smiles' Self-Help, published in 1859, was not only a best-seller in the late 19th century, but was also widely translated into languages around the world. In Japan, it was translated into Japanese by Nakamura Masanao in 1871 (Meiji 4) as Saikoku Risshi-hen, and made a great contribution to the economic ethos of Meiji Japan, which promoted industrial development. …

From the "Seikoku Risshi"

...A set of 11 books translated and published in 1871 (Meiji 4) by Nakamura Masanao based on Self-Help (1859) by the British social thinker S. Smiles. The books teach how to cultivate virtues such as diligence, patience, and thrift in order to carve out a path in life.

From [Smiles]

...The philosophy of life that was the basis of his books was that even a person with neither money nor status could get ahead in life through hard work and thrift, without relying on others. This was best exemplified in his masterpiece, Self-Help (1859), which became a best-seller and was translated into many foreign countries. It was also translated into Japan in 1871 (Meiji 4) as the early version, titled Seikoku Risshihen, and encouraged many young people. His other works include On Character (1871) and On Thrift (1875), but these are not highly regarded today.

*Some of the terminology explanations that mention "Self-Help" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

Japanese:

…この思想は，自由貿易の確立がもたらしたイギリス自由主義の一つの社会的な表れと見ることができる。1859年に出版されたサミュエル･スマイルズの《自助Self‐Help》は，19世紀後半のロングセラーとなっただけでなく，広く世界各国語に訳された。日本では1871年(明治4)に中村正直によって《西国立志編》として訳出され，殖産興業を図った明治日本の経済的エートスに大きく貢献した。…

【西国立志編】より

…イギリスの社会思想家S.スマイルズの《Self‐Help》(1859)を中村正直が1871年(明治4)に翻訳出版した書物11冊。勤勉，忍耐，節約といった美徳を涵養して人生を切り開くことを説く。…

【スマイルズ】より

…彼の著書の基礎にある人生哲学は，金も地位もない人間でも，他人に頼らず独力で勤勉と節約によって出世できるという，まさに19世紀イギリスの典型的処世術であった。これがもっともよく示されているのが代表作《自助論Self‐Help》(1859)で，ベストセラーとなり諸外国で翻訳され，日本でも1871年(明治4)いちはやく《西国立志編》として翻訳され，多くの青年を力づけた。ほかに《人格論》(1871)，《節約論》(1875)などがあるが，今日ではあまり高く評価されていない。…

※「《Self-Help》」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について | 情報

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