Fuzawa Yukichi Resenting The Ancient Way Analysis

2 October 2013
Resenting the Ancient Ways
Frequently asked to join the Meiji government, Fukuzawa Yukichi declined every time. He was a man with strong beliefs in Westernization and thought joining the government would be a bad fit for him and Japan. Fukuzawa Yukichi resented the feudal system set up by the government to suppress anyone of low ranks, however, he “resented the custom, not the men” (Fukuzawa, 179). Fukuzawa Yukichi knew that the government was set in their old ancient ways, which is why he wanted to bring the teaching from the West into Japan, changing the system of the government and the education of new generation.
Being regarded as one of the great founders of modern Japan from the nineteenth century, Fukuzawa Yukichi was a Japanese author, teacher, a translator of Western thoughts and customs, and broke the restrictive bonds of the Tokugawa samurai system. He was the founder of Keio-Gijuku University. Fukuzawa was an early Japanese civil rights activist. His thoughts about government and social institutions made a
Being a great and dedicated scholar, “the true reason of [his] opposing the Chinese tradition with such vigor is [his] belief that in this age of transition, if this retrogressive doctrine remains at all in our young men’s minds, the new civilization cannot give its full benefit to this country” (216). His interpretation of education was to be guided by nature and knowing all physical actions has a specific reason. Fukuzawa’s creed is “that a man should find his faith in independence and self-respect” (214). This means that Fukuzawa knew people had to take the leap of faith in order to fully understand the importance of