本研究は、「狂信(fanatisme)」を手掛かりとして近代フランスの思想家が直面した政治と宗教をめぐる問題を浮き彫りにしつつ、とくにジャン＝ジャック・ルソーの政治思想の分析から、かれが『社会契約論』で説示した市民宗教を共同体における宗教の脅威に対する応答として解釈することを目指すものである。本年度の研究は、(1)ルソーの狂信批判および市民宗教の教説を規定した同時代の文脈に関する調査、さらに、(2)市民宗教が宗教の形式を具えることの必要性および意義に関する考察を重点的に進めた。
(1)については、同時代のテクストとの比較から、ルソーの狂信批判に見出される独自の観点を審らかにした。世俗的秩序にとって破壊的であるという理由で狂信を批判する近代の通念からさらに進んで、ルソーはそれが隷従への傾向性をもつことを看破し、理性では対抗できない現象と捉えた。最終的に本研究では、ルソーは狂信の特徴である熱狂のうちに力強い情念を見出し、それを理性や説得で抑制するのではなく、その情念の対象を宗教的事柄から政治的事柄へと向け変えることで狂信の危険性を克服しようとしたことを示した。
(2)については、『エミール』第4篇の脚註で展開された狂信と無神論との比較論に着目した。本研究では、ルソーにおける「自我(moi)」の用語法の分析をとおして、一方で無神論の利己主義的で懐疑主義的な傾向が批判され、他方で自我の外部へと向かおうとする狂信の情念に一定の有用性が認められていることが明らかとなった。ここから本研究は、市民の自発性や宗教の熱意を損なわずに宗教的な情念を市民の義務や国家に対する忠誠へと向け変える構想として市民宗教の教説を定式化することを試みた。
以上の研究成果は、2017年度中に学会や研究会で口頭発表を行った。現在は、査読誌への投稿を目指して加筆修正を進めている。

In this research, I examined Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s political works known as the Social Contract,  the Considerations on the Government of Poland and the Plan for the Constitution of Corsica, and elucidated how the civil institutions could form the people as the sovereign. The purpose of my research was to assume that Rousseau deals with fanaticism as an obstacle to the civil association composed of free and equal individuals and he proposes in his political works a way to overcome this problem. First, I have identified why it is considered a danger in the 18th century. According to Rousseau, the danger of fanaticism does not lie in the radical characteristic of opinions and dogmas, but in the people’s inclination toward obeying the agitators without examining their discourses reasonably. These considerations allowed me to shed light on Rousseau’s intention to change the people’s inclination for servitude. Second, I explained the psychological mechanism and institutional structure of making the people autonomous and active. In summary, the institutions planned by Rousseau, especially the economic system, the tax system and the assembly per tax jurisdiction were supposed to preserve the freedom and the equality among the people and make them love their country.

In this research, I examined Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s political works known as the Social Contract, the Considerations on the Government of Poland and the Plan for the Constitution of Corsica, and elucidated how the civil institutions could form the people as the sovereign. The purpose of my research was to assume that Rousseau deals with fanaticism as an obstacle to the civil association composed of free and equal individuals and he proposes in his political works a way to overcome this problem. First, I have identified why it is considered a danger in the 18th century. According to Rousseau, the danger of fanaticism does not lie in the radical characteristic of opinions and dogmas, but in the people’s inclination toward obeying the agitators without examining their discourses reasonably. These considerations allowed me to shed light on Rousseau’s intention to change the people’s inclination for servitude. Second, I explained the psychological mechanism and institutional structure of making the people autonomous and active. In summary, the institutions planned by Rousseau, especially the economic system, the tax system and the assembly per tax jurisdiction were supposed to preserve the freedom and the equality among the people and make them love their country.

This research examined the ways to develop patriotism proposed in Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s political works written for Poland and Corsica. Rousseau’s patriotism has been considered as the source of modern nationalism and accused of the tendency toward exclusiveness in emphasizing the national character of each political institution. In order to clarify Rousseau’s intention, this research first analyzed what “love of country” means in his texts. This analysis shed light on two aspects of love of country: a passion for maintaining republican government and a passion for defending the independence from other countries. Secondly, this research pointed out that the taxation system based on agricultural economics would contribute to cultivating an attachment to the country by removing inequality and poverty. Thirdly, this research elucidated the reason for Rousseau’s emphasis on the national character in each political institution. According to Rousseau’s observation, taking into consideration the geographical features and the trade balance with other countries, the agriculture is supposed to be the best economic system for Poland and Corsica. In conclusion, Rousseau attaches importance to the national character of each political institution because he intends to establish the constitution suitable for each nation, and thereby to cultivate love of country.