ABSTRACT
The Taishō era was a period during which such concepts as individual rights, freedom, and democracy flourished in the intellectual and cultural realms. The Taishō intellectuals were not burdened with the task of “enriching and strengthening” the nation as were their predecessors in the Meiji era. These thinkers grew up in a relatively carefree atmosphere at a time when Japan had already joined the ranks of the world’s major powers. The educational level of the people had been raised, and the intellectual and cultural sophistication of the better-educated members of the society had been heightened. Consequently, this was also a period during which a “cultural elite,” who cherished “cultural refinement,” flourished. The number of well-educated urban dwellers had steadily increased as the economy expanded and the society was modernized. There was a growing number of professional men, executives, engineers, technicians, and office workers as well as government employees, educators, writers, and entertainers. These people made up the core of those who enjoyed and participated in Taishō culture.
