對於近代日本之偉大啓蒙思想家、教育家、評論家福澤諭吉之政治思考、態度、關係等，欲使之明白，必先瞭解福澤對政治與學問間之理解度為第一要件。因為福澤在各方面都堅持自己為學者，而絲毫不抱政治野心，故一般而言，福澤與政治問題可還原為學者與政治問題。筆者為考究「福澤與政治」問題，將藉深化福澤之學問論，透過其發展過程，以詳加探求渠與政治之曲折關係。福澤之政治與學問間問題，在學問論之開展中，趨於明確而被理論化。在其「学問のすすめ」（勸學論）中「第四編、学問の職分を論ず」（第四編、學問職責論），他首度開展學問論當非偶然，在此他才以職責論開展學問論，從其觀點來強調不輸於政治之學問意義。此同時含蓋在「國民要盡國民本分、政府要盡政府本分」，謀求雙方力道之平衡，雙方互助以維持國家之獨立理論中。在「學者安心論」上，福澤對「政府之政」與「人民之政」之間關係認為各盡其責，好比車之雙輪，使之直接或間接地各藉不同途徑，自動地推進文明，以鞏固國家之獨立，如此思考為樂觀的和諧論。因明治14年（公元1881年）之政變，使福澤做某種程度地修正其一貫的主張，令學問論實質地飛躍成「學問之獨立論」之契機。在「學問須與政治分離」上，福澤認為「學問與政治絕勿使之緊密結合」、「使政教分離、令之各具獨立地位、互不靠近、雖遠離但互助，永遠地培育國力為要。」福澤思考政治之特性，首先，顯現在「養成政治思想與成為政治家、是有所不同」的主張中。福澤曾強調，所有國民都「非有思想不可」。第二特性，則顯現於他在解說「辯論之政治」與「施行之政治」間區別之時。他指出「辯論之政治」與「施行之政治」間之差異，為「學者」與「政治家」之機能差異。福澤終其一生，超越現實政治諸黨派之利害關係，不斷地強調其主張對日本之重要性，無關日本之傳統政治性風土關係，竟能力主而使之為可能。

Yukichi Fukuzawa (1835 ~ 1901) was the greatest enlightened thinker, an educator and a commentator in Modern Japan. He is the first requisite to comprehend the references between politics and education of Yukichi Fukuzawa in order to clarify his political contemplation, attitude and relationship. In general, Fukuzawa was a scholar of politics but didn’t have political ambition in the least. In this paper, the refracted relationship between Fukuzawa and politics will be studied through the deepening and developing process of his educational theory.The problem between Fukuzawa’s education and politics was being clarified and theorized in the prosperity of his educational theory. It wasn’t an accident that Fukuzawa developed his educational theory for the first time in his article “ Discussion on Educational Duty ” in “ GAKUMON–NO–SUSUME ”. Hereupon, Fukuzawa evolved his educational theory with the duty theory from which his viewpoint laid stress on educational signification as well as his political views. At the same time, he was logically concluded “ the people do their duty, and the government does her duty ”, striving for the balance between the two forces and helping mutually in order to maintain the national independence. In case of “ Gakusha–Anshinron ”, Fukuzawa thought the relationship between “ governmental Sei (政)” and “ people’s Sei (政)” was to do their own duty. Like two wheels of a vehicle, they automatically propelled the civilization through the respective different routes either directly or indirectly with the view of consolidating the national independence. Such thought is the optimistically harmonious theory.Because of the coup in Meiji 14 (A. D. 1881), Fukuzawa amended his long held opinion to some degree and changed his educational theory into an educational independent theory, which made substantial rapid progress. As for “ Education must be separated from politics ”, Fukuzawa thought “ Education is never close to politics ”, and “ Making politics and education separated, letting the two be independent and not be close to each other, though faraway, helping each other, and bringing up the national power eternally are of the first importance ”.The traits of what Fukuzawa thought about politics first appeared in his assertion that cultivating political ideas was different from becoming a statesman. He once emphasized that all nationals had to have thought. The second trait appeared in his explanation on the difference between “ politics by argument ” and “ politics by practice ”. He pointed out that the difference of the functional distinction was between scholar and statesman.Throughout his life, Fukuzawa surpassed the interests of the actual political parties, continuously emphasized the importance of his assertion to Japan, and let his idea be practicable in spite of the traditional political features of Japan.