During the early years of the Meiji era, there was intense debate among Japanese leaders and intellectuals. One side wanted to build loyal subjects who could be depended upon to support government programs. The other side wanted to build citizens who could be depended upon to be independent and self-assured. The final answer was to build subjects. This decision became part of in the Constitution of 1889 and the Imperial Rescript on Education of 1890.
Makiguchi’s entire educational career was a protest against the production of subjects. Although he didn’t challenge government policy directly, he criticized Japanese teachers and educators for their tendency to accept popular educational ideas. But it wasn’t his educational philosophies and activities that led to his imprisonment. In the end, it was his religious convictions and refusal to accept the military government’s declaration of Shinto as the state religion that led to his arrest in 1943.
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