As a result of an unpleasantencounterwith a local government official, Shibusawa discovered that ordinary people without some kind of rank could not stand up and defend themselves against the arbitrary demands of bureaucrats in the weakening shogunate. The class system that ruled his father’s world became too much for Shibusawa to endure, and in 1863, at the age of 23, he told his father that he wished toabandon his responsibilityto succeed his father as head of the family.
As Yoshinobu’s retainer, Shibusawa demonstrated an abilitytoapplypracticalbusiness knowledge to improving the administrative and financial affairs of the domains controlled by the Tokugawa family. When Yoshinobu succeeded to the position of shogun, Shibusawa contemplated resigning. But when he was assigned toaccompany a government entourage to the International Exposition in Paris in 1867, he could hardly refuse.
Upon arriving in Europe in 1867, he took great interest in various aspects of daily life: from eating habits to telegraphs and street lamps, military parades and theater. His practical turn of mind was fascinated by dockyards, factories, mills, iron foundries, banks and even social events.
He helped organizeseveral hundred industrial and commercial enterprises, from the manufacture of paper and cement to the operation of railways and insurance companies. He coined the new term jitsugyoka, a Japanese termfor businessman.
ENGLISH JOURNAL の連載「Lecture」ではこれまで、ロッシェル・カップさん(経営コンサルタント)に「英語での働き方」、ギャヴィン・ブレアさん(ジャーナリスト)に「Brexit問題」、ソンヤ・デールさんに「ジェンダー/LGBT」、勝又泰洋さんに「神話」、フー・ユィーングさんに「身近な医学」についてレクチャーしていただきました。ぜひこちらも併せてお楽しみください!
James M. Vardaman(ジェームス・M・バーダマン) 1947年、アメリカ、テネシー州生まれ。ロドス大学卒、プリンストン神学校、修士(M.Div.)。ハワイ大学大学院、アジア研究、修士(M.A.)。早稲田大学名誉教授。専門はアメリカ文化史。著書に『シンプルな英語で話す日本史』『シンプルな英語で話す世界史』(いずれもジャパンタイムズ出版)、『地図で読むアメリカ』(朝日新聞出版)、共著に「毎日の英語」シリーズ(朝日新聞出版)など。公式HP:www.jmvardaman.com