The purpose of this paper is to reinterpret “Theory of People's Right to Education” by focusing on the
historical background of this theory.
During the 1950s and 1970s, Teruhisa Horio and Masashi Kaneko indicated that education should be
independent from the state authorities including educational administration. They distinguish between
education and politics, and education have the liberty from both state and politics. On the other hand,
Kenichi Nagai insisted on the right as requirement, and people should claim educational freedom for the
state. He included education in politics, especially the value of the Japanese Constitution.
A difference between Kaneko/Horio and Nagai is how they find out “ideal” of education. Kaneko and
Horio find out this “ideal” in the relationship of political reality, Nagai is based on a fictional reality to find
the “ideal” of education.
This difference is to exemplify that the appearance of consumer society influenced “Theory of People's
Right to Education” to branch into two positions.