Paper short abstract:

This paper investigates the changes in the notion of "Politics and Time" in nineteenth century Japan, by shedding light on the development of Rangaku in relation to the transformation of Dutch politics and academics, such as the foundation of the Royal Military Academy and the Royal Delft Academy.

Paper long abstract:

This paper examines the development of Western learning (Rangaku and Yougaku) from astronomy to geography, military science, statistics, and history of civilization in nineteenth century Japan, in relation to the intellectual trends prevalent in the Netherlands in that time.

Traditionally in East Asia, there were two insights into the relation between politics and time. Confucians thought that an ideal world in which the sage ruled existed in the "past". On the other hand, astronomy developed as a discipline for rulers. In the Edo period the Tokugawa government established the institution of astronomy, and as a result its study contributed to the prosperity of Rangaku (Dutch studies) including geography, military science, and statistics.

Previous researches on Rangaku mainly exist within the field of the history of science. However, these do not focus sufficiently on the influence of the transformation of politics and academics following the historical change from the decline of the Dutch Republic to the creation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

This paper, first, illustrates how the knowledge of astronomy paved the way for the study of European new sciences, such as geography and statistics. Secondly, it investigates several translations such as Takano Choei's Taktiek der drie wapens, and Nishimura Shigeki's Algemeene statistiek voor handel en nijverheid. In doing so, it will show that they obtained knowledge concerning the art of governance of the modern nation state through these studies. This development is placed against the background of the foundation of the Royal Military Academy and the Royal Delft Academy for the education of government officials of the Dutch East India, in the Netherlands. Based on the knowledge of Rangaku, after the Meiji restoration, the scholars of Western learning, such as Fukuzawa Yukich, abolished the old lunar calendar used in the Edo period, and intellectually struggled with the history of civilization, emergent in contemporary Europe, and its notion of "progress" contrary to the Confucian idea. This paper will clarify how the perspective of "Politics and Time" in East Asian tradition has changed through the acceptance of Western science in nineteenth century Japan.