Linfield Faculty Lecture Series

Title

From Farmer to Financial Giant: Shibusawa Ei'ichi's Blend of Confucianism and Capitalism in the Industrialization of Japan

Streaming Media

Document Type

Video File

Duration

1 hour 11 minutes 48 seconds

Publication Date

10-18-2017

Disciplines

Asian History | Business | Economic History | Ethics and Political Philosophy | History | Japanese Studies

Abstract

Shibusawa Ei'ichi (1840-1931) was one of the most important financiers and industrialists in Japan's modern economic transformation. During his career as the head of the Dai-Ichi Bank, Shibusawa helped to finance and launch modern enterprises in a variety of industries including banking, insurance, textiles, and railroads. In many speeches, Shibusawa exhorted business leaders to follow the ethical principles contained in The Analects of Confucius. This lecture investigates why Shibusawa would continue to promote Confucian ideas while working to dismantle the samurai-dominated feudal social hierarchy which Japanese Confucian elites had long supported.

Comments

Sponsored by the Linfield College Office of Academic Affairs.

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