ブックタイトル佐藤栄作　受賞論文集

概要

佐藤栄作　受賞論文集

第20回優秀賞“Humanizing the United Nations: The Role of theIndividual Person in the Rise and the Decline of theNations”.Cristina Saori Asazu 1AbstractThe present essay gathers ideas that popped up when the contributor faced thedaring theme“United Nations’Functions for the Rise and the Decline of the Nations.”Writing it became even more challenging when the contributor learned that“theRise and the Decline of the Nations”was the translation from the Japanese of theexpression“Minzoku no Koubou”.“Koubou”undoubtedly means“the rise and thedecline”, but“Minzoku”does not fully - at least in its original sense - correspond tothe word“nation”. Both words, then, had to be clarified above all. (#1. Languages andConcepts).By clarifying these points, soon became apparent the implications of the words“nationalism”and“nation-state”, both expressions of the modem times. Outcome ofindependence movements, revolutions, and wars, they contributed, in one hand, tosettle sovereign states, but also served to spread warfare, absolutism, statism, andbloodshed. Yet, the lessons of some tragic historical events have yet to be learned bysome states: more than simply declaring rights, it is mandatory to work hard towardsthe incorporation of a genuine system of rule of the law. Violence and fear will prevailotherwise. (#2. The Concept of Nation)In an age when the words nation, state, self-determination, liberty, and democracymostlyreferringtocollectiveentities-areroutinelyusedandareeventaken1 I am greatly thankful to the editors of Ellopos (www.ellopos.net) and Gutenberg Project (www.gutenberg.net) who,respectively, made the English version of Jose Ortega Y Gasset’s The Revolt of the Masses (1930) and Alexis deTocqueville’s Democracy in America (1835-40) available to the general public in the Internet.291