FUKUZAWA YUKICHI'S THOUGHT ON PROMOTING THE ROLE OF CITIZENS IN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Fukuzawa Yukichi (1834–1901), who was titled as “Voltaire of Japan” by Japanese people, served as the spirit, driving force, and intellectual support of the restoration conducted by the Meiji government. Throughout his life, Fukuzawa articulated numerous influential ideas aimed at national development; among which, his view on citizens and the promotion of citizens’ role through education stands out, especially in the context of a society still deeply influenced by Confucian values. Fukuzawa asserted that citizens are the cornerstone of a nation's development. In his view, such development must begin with the improvement of public knowledge to foster a sense of self-reliance and social responsibility among individuals. Each citizen, he believed, must be fully aware of their role in building a progressive, democratic, and sustainable society. Fukuzawa’s thought on promoting the role of citizens remains not only historically significant to Japan but also profoundly relevant to developing countries today. This study is conducted based on the principles of objectivity, comprehensiveness, historical specificity, and development, while employing various methodologies - including textual analysis, analytical-synthetic method, hermeneutics, and phenomenology - to examine the key issues addressed in the topic.