Eisaku Ide - Awarded in 2016
Participant Profile
Eisaku Ide
Fiscal Sociology1995: Graduated from the Faculty of Economics, The University of Tokyo 2000: Completed the coursework for the Doctoral Programs at the Graduate School of Economics, The University of Tokyo. Ph.D. in Economics [Ph.D. (Economics)]. After working at the Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies of the Bank of Japan, Tohoku Gakuin University, and Yokohama National University, he became an Associate Professor at Keio University in 2009. He has held his current position since 2013. 2015: Received the 15th Osaragi Jiro Rondan Award. *Profile and position are as of the time of the interview.
Eisaku Ide
Fiscal Sociology1995: Graduated from the Faculty of Economics, The University of Tokyo 2000: Completed the coursework for the Doctoral Programs at the Graduate School of Economics, The University of Tokyo. Ph.D. in Economics [Ph.D. (Economics)]. After working at the Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies of the Bank of Japan, Tohoku Gakuin University, and Yokohama National University, he became an Associate Professor at Keio University in 2009. He has held his current position since 2013. 2015: Received the 15th Osaragi Jiro Rondan Award. *Profile and position are as of the time of the interview.
Social Science: Learning from the Past, Assessing the Present, and Creating Options for the Future
Encountering His Research Theme
I studied public finance as an undergraduate and graduate student. However, I felt that something was missing from the textbooks, which always started with general principles. It was then that I came across J. Schumpeter's book, "The Crisis of the Tax State." I learned about the existence of "fiscal sociology," a field that explains historical change by linking fiscal crises with major societal shifts, and I was completely captivated.
The Appeal and Interest of the Research Theme
For example, Japan's public finances are said to be in a critical state. In fact, the country has the largest government debt among developed nations. However, if you read public finance textbooks, it's hard to come up with any solutions other than cutting spending or increasing revenue.
Let's try to think about it differently. Under a fiscal system like Japan's, where the poor are the beneficiaries, the middle and upper classes, who feel they are only paying in, may oppose tax increases. This is called tax resistance. If that's the case, rather than simply cutting expenditures, we must consider new ways of spending to alleviate this tax resistance. In other words, "spending cuts" might actually be a "cause" of the fiscal deficit. This is the idea behind fiscal sociology, which incorporates a human perspective.
A Message to Students
Everyone hopes for a better future. But to change the future, you must first change the "present." Society is made up of various values and ideas. Changing this complex society is by no means an easy task. That's why I want you to have the courage to change your immediate world, right here and now, even if it's just a little.
But be careful. In which direction is that small change heading? That slight difference could lead to a completely opposite future decades from now. To ensure you can move forward in a direction you won't regret, you must learn about the ideas of many people and their possible counterarguments, study them, and think them through. I believe this is the meaning of studying economics, which is one of the "social sciences."
(Interview conducted in January 2017)