The Concept of "Social Sciences" Prior to 1923 -- With Special Attention to the History of Sociology and Sakae Osugi

The aim of this paper is to consider the concept of "Shakai Kagaku (Social Sciences)" prior to 1923. Yasutaka Ichmokawa examines the concept of "The Social" in his book Shakai (The Social) (2006). He insists that (1) the phrase "Shakai Kagaku" was not popular in Japan before 1923, & (2) this phrase was used to mean the bundling of sociology, law, politics, economics, & so on, only after 1923, in keeping with the use of' such terminology in Marxism. In this paper, Ichinokawa's claims are examined by looking at the history of sociology & the concept of "Shakai Kagaku" in the writings of Sakae Osugi, all anarchist in the Taisho era. An examination of the above revealed the following: First, in the Taisho era, a distinction was not made between "Shakai Kagaku" & "Shakaigaku (sociology)." In so-called synthetic sociology, "Shakaigaku" meant the highest conception of the social sciences. In the history of sociology, in pre-1923 Japan, "Shakai Kagaku" was a phrase which occupied a position critical to synthetic sociology. Second, under the influence of anarchists such as P. Kropotkin & M. Bakounine, Osugi's concept of "Shakai Kagaku" had been used to criticize the sciences prior to 1923. Moreover, their movements influenced Shinjinkai (an association antecedent to the Social Science Society). However, little light was shed on their attempts because their movements were suppressed. Adapted from the source document.