Darwin figures in Japan constitution controversy
Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party recently launched a ‘manga’ (cartoon strip) featuring a Darwin-like character, proposing constitutional revision, in light of evolutionary theory. The character named ‘Moyawin’ but drawn to resemble Charles Darwin argues, “This is what the theory of evolution says. … The only people who can survive are people who can change.”
The manga stirred up a torrent of accusations that the Party understands neither evolution nor the danger of applying the theory to politics. For example, psychiatrist Rika Kayama wrote, “In the 19th and 20th centuries, evolutionary theory was applied to human societies in what came to be known as ‘social Darwinism’, and natural selection based on ‘survival of the fittest’ was used to justify racism and eugenics. The Nazis based their massacre of Jews and disabled people on eugenics, and ever since then, everyone has understood that the simplistic application (of evolutionary theory) to politics is dangerous.”
Kayama is certainly correct in linking evolutionary theory to the dangers of eugenics and racism, though perhaps a little misguided in saying “everyone has understood”. See, e.g., creation.com/david-duke.
- Nomura, F., Japan ruling party manga using evolutionary theory to push constitutional change slammed; mainichi.jp; 23 June 2020.
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