Fukuzawa Yukichi · Politics

Heaven Did Not Create One Man Above Another

The opening declaration of <em>An Encouragement of Learning</em> - that by birth all people are equal, since Heaven sets no one above or below anyone else - and Fukuzawa&rsquo;s twist: that the vast real inequalities among people spring not from Heaven but from learning.

What you'll be able to recall

You learned that Fukuzawa opened An Encouragement of Learning by declaring natural equality (Heaven creates no one above or below another) and then explained real inequality as the fruit of learning , not of birth. Explain both halves in your own words.

Leads to Thomas Jefferson.

epoché — a humanities education that remembers you.