The Social Solidarity Manifested in Japan's Pension Reforms (総合政策学特集号)

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概要

• 論文の詳細を見る

• This article explores how the concept of solidarity has been made sense of in relation to the crisis and reforms of the public pension system in contemporary Japan. In particular, the focus of discussion will be placed on the current pension issues such as problems with increasing non-payment of national pension contributions, because these problems illuminate the question on the relevance of solidarity in Japanese society. The Japanese Government has reminded the significance of social solidarity with the warning that otherwise the nonpayment problem could hardly be overcome. In brief, the messages from the Japanese Government to citizens are rather eclectic and even contradictory. Still, there is little discussion in Japan as to whether the appreciation of strong individuals who are calculating and well aware of self-interest and the social solidarity encouraging intergenerational solidarity are incompatible or not. The strong individuals of self-reliance can be understood in different ways. In a neoliberalist view self-reliance and self-help of individuals have been associated with small government. In a social democratic approach to ensure self-reliance of individuals is regarded as a mission of welfare state. It is important to distinguish the solidarity in equal relationships between citizens of self-reliance and the dependence of one (less self-reliant, weak individual) to others (stronger individuals). The Japanese Government has reminded the people of the term "mutual help" that appears similar to "social solidarity, " whenever the Government sees such reminder necessary, without clarifying how individual citizens are to be engaged in equal social relations that would make fair exchange of help and support possible. Other concepts such as "citizenship, " "civil society, " "social rights, " "empowerment" and so on that are familiar in the Western discourse on citizenship in welfare state are absent in the Japanese discourse of social solidarity.

• 島根県立大学の論文

著者

• 高橋 睦子

  島根県立大学総合政策学部

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