User:Gameking69/becut

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/54919142

https://www.plough.com/en/topics/faith/witness/toyohiko-kagawa

Brotherhood economics (Japanese: 兄弟経済; Hepburn: Kyōdai Keizai) is a socio-economic concept associated with Toyohiko Kagawa, a Japanese Christian novelist and social reformer. It emerged in response to Japanese army atrocities in China, advocating for the application of Christian principles of love and compassion to economic challenges. Kagawa, influenced by his Christian faith and his aversion to warfare, critiqued prevailing political economies of his time—fascism, Soviet-style communism, and capitalism—for their concentration of wealth and power, which perpetuated poverty. He proposed an alternative model where Christian churches, cooperatives, and pacifist organizations collaborate to foster small, local economies grounded in cooperation.

Historical context

See also: Toyohiko Kagawa § Activism

Kagawa was born in Kobe, Japan in 1888, the son of a shipping merchant and his concubine. Orphaned at a young age, he found companionship with Presbyterian missionaries, who ran an English Bible class for Japanese youth. Guided by their influence, he attended Meiji Gakuin University, before enrolling at Kobe Theological Seminary.

In 1909, while studying at the Seminary, Kagawa moved to Kobe's Shinkawa slums. Here, he engaged in relief work, aiding thousands of impoverished residents. He identified three major weaknesses among the residents: the physically weak, the mentally weak, and the morally weak. Therefore, a core aspect of his Christian mission involved establishing free medical clinics, educational facilities, and spaces for preaching the gospel.

In 1914, he traveled to the United States to enroll at Princeton Theological Seminary for three years, pursuing studies in divinity. While there he observed the nearby New York City slums and the workings of urban labor unions.

Kagawa returned to Japan and actively participated in peace initiatives, advocated for labor unions, promoted environmental conservation, and supported the movement for universal suffrage. He faced multiple arrests for his activities, which he viewed as obligations aligned with the principles of a Christian "Good Samaritan." During his periods of imprisonment, Kagawa dedicated his time to writing.

In 1922, Kagawa declared himself as a "Guild Socialist" in terms of his political views, his approach is non-militant, and he could be described as a "passivist," strictly adhering to peaceful methods.

In 1936 he undertook speaking engagements in the United States, delivering lectures and establishing connections. His tour concluded with the delivery of the Rauschenbusch lectures (named after American theologian Walter Rauschenbusch) at the Colgate-Rochester Divinity School, during which he elaborated on his concept of "Brotherhood Economics" from a lecture entitled "Christian Brotherhood and Economic Reconstruction."

Kagawa published "Brotherhood Economics" in 1936, wherein according to him he further develops the themes initially presented in four lectures at the school in April 1936.

After World War II, he actively advocated for the inclusion of an article in Japan's new constitution renouncing war as a means of resolving international disputes. His efforts were successful, and the proposed article was included in the constitution.

---

Seven cooperatives

Kagawa advocates for the establishment of seven types of cooperatives: health and life insurance, producers', marketing, credit, mutual aid, public utility, and consumers'. These cooperatives would serve as the foundation of the legislative body within the political state he envisions.

In Kagawa's plan, adherence to Christian principles is deemed essential. He highlights, "Unless we see the development of a Christian brotherhood, we shall never see an ideal economic society." Kagawa's vision of society differs from socialism, communism, and the "system of egocentric exploitation" inherent in capitalism.

He argues, "If we would realize true happiness and a classless society, we must base our economic revolution on the whole of society instead of on any one segment of it." Kagawa asserts that the labor movement alone cannot achieve the necessary reconstruction of the economic order.

Kagawa highlights the significance of a consumption system alongside production, asserting, "Without a system of consumption, failure is certain for lack of a market, no matter how good the system of production may be." He proposes that private ownership and enterprise could coexist in a cooperative society, with legislative intervention only when these entities endanger the common good.

While Kagawa expresses some ambitious ideas, such as the complete eradication of corruption and bribery through his proposed political organization, or the belief that the spirit of the Cross would address economic challenges, he acknowledges the practical limitations and challenges associated with implementing cooperatives.

-

Toyohiko Kagawa his organization for his Christian mission was named the Kyūreidan (救世軍). In 1914, the organization was renamed the Jesus Band (イエス・バンド).

In 1914, he traveled to the United States to enroll at Princeton Theological Seminary, pursuing studies in divinity. Kagawa spent three years there before returning to Japan. While there he observed the nearby New York City slums and the workings of urban labor unions.

Following the Japanese army's campaign in China, Kagawa publicly expressed remorse to the Republic of China. As a consequence, he was arrested.

Upon his release, he traveled to the United States with the aim of preventing the outbreak of war, which he feared was imminent. However, his aspirations for peace were disrupted by the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor in 1941.

Post-world war 2, Kagawa advocated for a provision in Japan's new constitution that renounced war as a means of settling international conflicts.

Kagawa argued that spiritual reform must accompany genuine social and economic change. Influenced by British Guild Socialists and the cooperative movement of the Rochdale Weavers, he began championing cooperative economics as a viable alternative to prevailing economic systems. His deep commitment to Christian principles and firsthand experiences with poverty and social injustice, including five years spent living in a Kobe slum, further solidified his beliefs. Kagawa witnessed the dire conditions faced by the poor, including exploitation by prostitution rings and abuse of children, which fueled his passion for social reform and shaped his conviction that traditional economic models failed to address the needs of the most vulnerable in society.