역사교육의 제도와 이념

The System and Ideology of Historical Education

Although most Meiji leaders shared the view on the importance of education, education policy was rarely on top of their policy lists. One of the reason was that the investment on education was very late in return. Still education reflected the ideology of the nation as the strengthening of the Emperor system proceeded in close relations with the changes in education. In particular, historical education played a big part in sustaining the state. Most societies have put importance on historical education as a means of accomplishing national integration because it gives reassurances on national bondage and patriotism. The problems in prewar Japan was that it removed scientific and rational thinking from historical education and only emphasized patriotism and loyalty to the emperor. Although historical education went though critical changes in the postwar period, the system of textbook certification contains the element of prewar historical education by allowing the state to influence the contents of the education.