Redistribution and Social Inclusion: Political Thought in Meiji Period

本研究试图说明，以二宫尊德为第一先知的“厚德运动”，其目的不仅是传授道德教义，而且是为了重新组织和振兴自治社区，使之成为重新分配和社会包容的细胞。这一尝试是明治政府的一种“第三条道路”，介于“税收计划”和“慈善计划”之间，前者需要强大的中央政府进行再分配，后者以积极的志愿团体为前提，以实现社会包容，这两种方式在明治日本都是罕见的。

This research tried to show that the aim of "Houtoku Movement" ,of which Ninomiya Sontoku was a first prophet, was not only teaching moral doctrine but also reorganizing and revitalizing autonomous community for a cell of redistribution and social inclusion. This attempt was a kind of "third way" for Meiji government, between the "tax scheme" which consequently needs the strong central government for redistribution, and the "charity scheme" which presuppose active voluntary associations for social inclusion, both of which were rare in Meiji Japan.