“A Discourse by Three Drunkards on Government” on modern Japanese history
Nakae Chomin was a famous political theorist and statesman whose actions and ideas about human freedom and rights were significant for the Meiji period Japan. His studies of Western political theory and passion for French positions are perfectly described in his book A Discourse by Three Drunkards on Government, written in 1884. With the help of this book, the reader gets a wonderful opportunity to comprehend the ideas of modern Japan, evaluate the current state of affairs from pacifistic, aggressive, and modern perspectives, and learn deeper nationalistic ideas and Japanese traditions.
This book is based on the conversations between three people with three different points of view concerning Japanese traditions, politics, and power. The first Gentleman supports the ideas of democracy and spreads the ideology of pacifism as the only one to help citizens. His main thought is that Japanese pacifism may be justified. If the Japanese use weapons to achieve the desired goal and protect his land, the enemy will do the same and win.
However, in case the enemy occupies the territory by means of weapons, and the Japanese do not use the same weapon, this Japanese will get a chance to stay on this land and save his life. Unfortunately, such an attitude teaches the reader that passive resistance will hardly lead to positive results, and this utopia of democracy is considered to be the result of connection to the contemporary Western concept of power and progress. The second character, the Champion from the East, is a good example of an aggressor with pure realistic ideas. He is the representative of the traditional samurai, who can never accept the ideas of idealism (like it was offered by the Gentleman), regarding them as insane ones.
This character teaches the reader not to ignore the reality: if there is a war, the politicians have no right to ignore it! He could not help but wonder, “if anyone says that quarreling is a vice and war is an absurdity, let me ask him to consider this: what can be done about the fact that individuals actually possess vices? What can be done about the fact that they act absurdly? In short, what can be done about reality?” (Nakae and Tsukui 94).
The war already exists, and people can do nothing but be prepared for it. He calls for actions in order to conquer more land (Asian or African); he promotes cultural changes, where its main participants are “the lovers of nostalgia and the lovers of novelty” (Nakae and Tsukui 103). Unfortunately, nostalgia cannot be helpful in war, this is why there is no other way but to accept the novelty ideas and be able to fight and develop accordingly. There is one more character whose role remains to be significant to the reader. Master Nankai who does not want to accept one particular side but still “loves drinking and discussing politics” (Nakae and Tsukui 47).
His ideas may be regarded as the necessary golden middle that unites pacifism of the Western Gentleman and realism of the Eastern Champion. He explains that it is obligatory to change the society and spread democracy, however, Gentleman’s ideas are too weak to achieve the necessary purposes. This is why it is better to achieve a Gentleman’s suggestions by means of the Champion’s ideas. Master explains that the Gentleman and the Champion present too radical ideas that lead to constant worry over Europe. This is why the only possible way for Japanese people to succeed is to use their strengths, to unite militant Japanese traditions and progressive actions, and to make people free.
The embodiment of the ideas in the Nakae’s book by Meiji Constitution
The book introduces one of the significant insights for those who are eager to comprehend the ideas of the Meiji Constitution in its integral part and its absurdity. If we compare A Discourse by Three Drunkards on Government with The Meiji Constitution, the variety of disagreements may be found out. One of the first issues to discuss is the idea of the 9th Article of the Constitution.
“The Emperor issues or causes to be issued, the Ordinances necessary for the carrying out of the laws, or for the maintenance of the public peace and order, and for the promotion of the welfare of the subjects. But no Ordinance shall in any way alter any of the existing laws.” (Constitution of the Empire if Japan, 1889 Article 9).
Nakae Chomin did not want to accept the ideas of power among people and demonstrate his attitude to this regime through the words of Master Nankai: “Do kings and noblemen possess larger and heavier brains than we? Do they have more gastric juices and blood cells? Both we common people and the aristocrats are lumps of flesh made of a combination of a few chemical elements” (Nakae and Tsukui 49).
However, this book relates considerably to other reading like the work by Andrew Gordon, who discusses the power of samurai, their intentions, and anger “at being left out of the dicisionmaking process” (Gordon 85). They see only two possible ways to achieve their purposes: “some tried to write new rules of participation. Others forced the issue with swords and guns” (Gordon 85). Almost the same is presented in the book by Chomin, where samurai “regarded swinging swords, wielding spears, and dying in battle as the incomparable honor” (Nakae and Tsukui 109).
Works Cited
Chomin, Nakae. A Discourse by Three Drunkards on Government. Trans. Nobuko Tsukui. New York: Weatherhill Constitution of Japan, 1889. 2010. Web.
Gordon, Andrew. A Modern History of Japan: From Tokugawa Times to the Present. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.