Yamada Moritarō

Yamada Moritarō

Yamada Moritarō ( Japanese 山田 盛太郎 ; born January 29, 1897 in Aichi Prefecture ; died December 27, 1980 ) was a Japanese Marxist and professor at Tokyo University .

life and work

Yamada Moritarō graduated from the Faculty of Economics at Tōkyō University in 1923 , then became an assistant and in 1925 assistant professor. After studying “Capital” by Marx , he wrote an “Introduction to the Analysis of Production Processes” (再生産 過程 表 式 分析 序 論), which appeared in 1931.

In 1930 he was arrested in connection with the "incident with sympathizers of the Communist Party" (共産党 シ ン パ 事件; Kyōsantō shimpa jiken) and had to leave the university. During this time he participated, together with Noro Eitarō , Ishida Yoshimichi and others in the seven-volume textbook "Development History of Capitalism" (日本 資本主義 発 達 史 講座, Nihon shihonshugi hattatsu-shi kōza). His book, "Analysis of Japanese Capitalism" (日本 資本主義 分析, Nihon shihonshugi buseki), a collection of contributions, became the theoretical basis for the so-called Kōza faction. In 1936 he was arrested again, this time in connection with the "Communist Academy Incident" (コ ム ・ ア カ デ ミ ー 事件). However, no charges were brought.

After the Pacific War he succeeded, together with Ōuchi Hyōei and others, to rebuild the Faculty of Economics at the University of Tōkyō. He taught there, but also at the agricultural science faculty. In 1948 he founded the "Association for the History of Real Estate" (土地 制度 史学 会, Tochiseidō-shi gakkai). In 1957 Yamada retired, and then worked at other universities.

Yamada's important works include the “Study of the Productivity of Agriculture in Japan” (日本 農業 生産力 構造, Nihon nōgyō seisanryoku kōzō) from 1960. After his death, his complete works appeared from 1981 to 1983 as “山田 盛太郎 著作 集” in five volumes.

Remarks

1. ↑ The Kōza direction (講座 派) envisaged a two-stage revolution: the abolition of rural semi-feudalism, the imperial system and then the proletarian revolution. In contrast, the Rōnō direction (労 農 派) sought a socialist revolution in one step. Both groups disbanded when members were arrested in 1937 and 1938.

literature

• S. Noma (Ed.): Yamada Moritarō . In: Japan. An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Kodansha, 1993, ISBN 4-06-205938-X , p. 1725.
• S. Noma (Ed.): Kōzaha . In: Japan. An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Kodansha, 1993, ISBN 4-06-205938-X , p. 836.

Web links

• Entry on Yamada in the Japanese Encyclopedia Britannica.

Japanese name: As is common in Japan, the family name comes before the first name in this article . Thus, Yamada is the family name, Moritarō the first name.