The Theory of Japan's National Polity and Pure Socialism: Volume 1

Ikki Kita

Mar 2025 · The Theory of Japan's National Polity and Pure Socialism Book 1 · Ryota Nakanishi

About this ebook

This is the first English translation of Ikki Kita's The Theory of Japan's National Polity and Pure Socialism (1906), also known as Kokutairon and Pure Socialism. Volume 1 comprises Parts 1 and 2. The full text is an analysis and commentary on socialism, focusing on Ikki Kita's theories of economic justice, social democracy, and the relationship between socialism and the Japanese national polity.

About the author

Kita, Ikki / Ikki Kita (1883-1937) was the most revolutionary thinker in Japan during the Meiji, Taisho and Showa periods and before World War II.

His theory of social revolution for the Japanese nation (a synthesis of left and right revolutionary ideas) was considered anti-establishment by the Empire of Japan at the time. Later, it influenced the largest military coup after the Meiji Restoration, the "Showa Restoration Revolution" 2.26 Incident (1936), and especially some of its democratic measures (abolition of the aristocracy, anti-monopoly of the zaibatsu, universal suffrage, land reform, human rights for workers, women's rights, national human rights, human rights for defendants and prisoners, reform of the compulsory education system, etc.) were implemented in Japan's postwar reforms (1945-1947). Even under the imperialist policy, the Asianist Kita, Ikki tried to correct the disadvantages of the expansionist policy and opposed the British-style colonialist policy. Although the Imperial Way faction of the army that supported him was suppressed and eliminated, and even the Control faction represented by Tojo Hideki executed Kita, Kita himself was later falsely labeled as a "fascist" or "fascist mentor" by various parties for many years. In the end, he was used as a scapegoat by the fascist forces that were really responsible for the Sino-Japanese War and World War II.

Ryota Nakanishi is a Hong Kong-based writer and intelligence analyst on politics and international relations, with a focus on Hong Kong, China since 2017.

Books：A STUDY OF THE THREE ACT STRUCTURE: THE WIZARD OF OZ, CITIZEN KANE, CASABLANCA, CHINATOWN (2021) ; MARXIST FILM AESTHETICS : HEGEL, MARX, ENGELS, LENIN, TROTSKY, EISENSTEIN (in Chinese, 2022)； DIALECTIC OF NOVEL-SCRIPT-FILM ADAPTATION: VIY, MOTHER JOAN OF THE ANGELS, VAMPIR-CUADECUC, THE EXORCIST III, RESIDENT EVIL (2023) ； BOHACHI POLICE STORY (in Chinese, 2024) ；THE TRUE MASTERMINDS OF THE ANTI-EXTRADITION LAW AMENDMENT BILL MOVEMENT (in Chinese, 2024) ； IN DEFENSE OF ISRAEL, JEWS AND HISTORY (in Chinese, 2024)；THE THEORY OF HONG KONG'S REFORM WITHIN 'ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS' AND PURE MARXISM THAT DEVELOPS NEW QUALITY PRODUCTIVE FORCES (in Chinese, 2024) ; IKKI KITA’S AN OUTLINE PLAN FOR THE REORGANIZATION OF JAPAN (1919) : NEW CHINESE TRANSLATION, INTERLINEAR ANALYSIS, AND COLLECTED COMMENTARIES (IN CHINESE, 2025) ; THE THEORY OF JAPAN'S NATIONAL POLITY AND PURE SOCIALISM VOLUME 1 (2025).