Rousseau and Ryoma

Somebody was talking about whether Ryoma had read Rousseau or not. I just
came across something in George Uyeharas book 'The Political Development of
Japan', page 115 says that his book 'Social Contract was translated in
Japanese in 1882 by Nakai Tokusuke. However I think that some people in
Bakumatsu Japan were aware of his ideas from other sources.


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Thanks Bill,
Since there were French scholars in Japan at the time and
interest in Western forms of goverrnment it is possible but I guess I
still need to fine it in the print which originally set to reading
the book so many years ago...
-t

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I don't know if you will find that info in print. There were so many people
coming into Japan at that time as well as quite a few Japanese travelling
legally and illegally to America and Europe. Also Japan was fairly well
informed of outside events during the saikoku period thanks to the Dutch.
The Uyehara book was quite interesting discussing the different western
political theories debated in the Meiji period. George Sansoms Japan and the
Western World was quite good on this general topic as well

Thanks again-
-t

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