The Industrious Revolution in Edo Japan: Cultural, Religious, and Foreign Influences on Economic Transformation

江户时代日本的勤勉革命：文化、宗教与外国影响对经济转型的作用

This essay explores the Industrious Revolution in Edo-period Japan (1603–1868), a transformative era marked by increased labor input and productivity without parallel capital investment. Drawing on Akira Hayami’s framework, it argues that Japanese households intensified human labor—particularly in agriculture—to respond to rising market demands. Special attention is given to the cultural, religious, and ideological drivers of this shift, including the influence of Neo-Confucianism, traditional work ethics, and legal structures promoting thrift and diligence. The essay also investigates the impact of European intellectual currents on Japan’s economic thought, contending that the Industrious Revolution represented not only an economic adjustment but also a profound realignment of intellectual paradigms and social values.

本文探讨了江户时代日本（1603–1868）的勤勉革命，这一变革时代以劳动投入和生产力提升为特征，而无需相应的资本投资。基于林明夫的理论框架，本文认为日本家庭通过强化人力劳动（尤其在农业领域）来应对日益增长的市场需求。特别关注这一转变背后的文化、宗教和思想驱动力，包括新儒家思想、传统劳动伦理以及倡导节俭与勤奋的法律制度的影响。该论文还探讨了欧洲思想潮流对日本经济思想的影响，认为勤勉革命不仅代表了经济调整，更是思想范式和社会价值观的深刻重构。