明治時期日本思想界為了論證民族擴張的合理性與合法性,宣揚了一整套理論。該理論起源于西方傳入日本的社會達爾文主義的"弱肉強食"思想。從這種思想出發,根據本國在亞洲文明程度的領先狀況,日本思想界提出"文明征服野蠻"的理論,認為日本已經是亞洲"文明強國",在世界上可以同歐美列強并駕齊驅,因而應當在亞洲成為"食他人者"。另一方面,日本思想界又提出,亞洲各國是"野蠻落后"的社會,所以只能成為"被食者"。再進一步推斷,日本思想界又宣揚,文明進步的日本向野蠻落后的東亞各國擴張,"輸出文明"并"保護"那里受苦受難的各民族,成為日本"義不容辭"的責任。因此,民族擴張的"正義性"似乎得到了"合理的"解讀,明治日本思想界為狹隘的民族主義煽動下的軍國主義擴張提供了所謂"正當性"詮釋。

In the Meiji period,Japanese intellectual circles promoted a set of theories designed to demonstrate the rationality and legitimacy of Japanese expansion.These originated in the social Darwinist idea of the"law of the jungle"[literally,"the strong prey on the weak"],introduced into Japan from the West.Starting from this point,and believing that Japan was leading the way in Asian civilization,Japanese intellectuals put forward the theory that"the civilized conquers the barbarian".Japan,being already a "civilized power"in Asia,could compete on a world scale alongside Europe and the United States,so it was the strong nation to which the weak of Asia fell prey.Moreover,the Meiji intellectuals regarded other Asian countries as "barbaric and backward"societies only fit to be"prey".Taking this position a step further,they promoted the idea that Japan had a moral duty to "export civilization"and "protect"the suffering peoples of Asia.The "justice"of Japanese expansion thus seemed to have acquired a "rational"interpretation.Fanning the flames of parochial nationalism,the Meiji intellectuals provided a"legitimate"interpretation for the expansion of militarism.