Editing SG33SHS-T (section)

=== 6. Economic Life Also Produces Gods ===

The second explanation is that gods are products of economic life. For example, let us examine the emergence of ''ujigami'' 氏神 (clan deities).''Ujigami''refer to the highest authority figures within a clan or lineage. In the past, members of a community relied on these authority figures for guidance in hunting, farming, and other livelihood activities. Moreover, in the face of external threats, such as attacks from other clans, they would unite around these leaders for defense and security. Naturally, these authority figures came to be revered as the heads of the clans. In the case of the Japanese emperor, for instance, it is argued that the emperor, by consolidating various clans and becoming the ultimate authority figure, embodies the concept of the highest''ujigami''. As a result, the emperor is viewed as a sacred being, symbolizing the well-being of all clans. This theory offers a plausible explanation for the reverence bestowed upon the emperor.

The origin of such ''ujigami'' can also be understood by considering Engels’s statement when discussing the origins of ethnic religions that “God assumed a form of earthly power over celestial power.”<ref>Engels certainly paraphrases this Feuerbachian idea throughout the essay but see the following note, where I suggest that Seno’o is actually using Bukharin here.</ref> It reads as follows: “The elders of the tribe organize, manage, command, and plan labor as guardians of accumulated experience in production, representing the principle of active creativity. On the other hand, the rest of the members listen obediently, accept commands, conform to the plans set from above, and act according to the will of others. These relations of production, especially when applied to the whole universe, become a model for examining human beings themselves.”<ref>Though Seno’o appears to imply that this second quote is from Engels, it is in fact taken from Nikolai Bukharin’s ''Historical Materialism: A System of Sociology'', originally published in Russian in 1925 and translated into Japanese in 1927 by Hiroshima Sadakichi 広島定吉 as ''Shiteki yuibutsuron no riron'' 史的唯物論の理論 (Komeiji Shoten), p. 296. For an English translation, see “Nikolai Bukharin, Historical Materialism, A System of Sociology,” Marxist Internet Archive, accessed September 18, 2024, https://www.marxists.org/archive/bukharin/works/1921/histmat/index.htm.</ref>

When we look at this in comparison with Japanese mythology, it becomes an intriguing topic. Here it is suggested that the essence of the “gods” who dominate humans essentially lies in their economic control over the earthly realm, as human beings created the illusion of gods due to their constrained economic lives. A prime example of this is the main deity of Izumo Taisha 出雲大社 (Izumo Grand Shrine), Ōkuninushi no Ōkami 大国主大神, who is considered the god of economic matters.<ref>Izumo Taisha, dedicated to the deity Ōkuninushi, is associated with creation, happiness, and good relationships, and is one of the most important, and possibly the oldest, major Shinto shrine in Japan.</ref> The concept of ''kannazuki'' 神無月<ref>''Kannazuki''falls in October. In Izumo, where the''kami''are said to gather, October is known as''kamiarizuki'' 神有月 or “the month with gods.”</ref> (the month without gods) in the lunar calendar, which refers to the absence of gods in various provinces because they gather at Izumo Grand Shrine, is another illustrative example. It signifies a time when the autumn harvest has been mostly completed, and the chiefs of each community, representing the highest authority, gather in Izumo, which was the central administrative region at that time, to hold regional conferences. During these conferences, they discuss progress reports, taxation, and plans for the following year. Therefore, it signifies a period when local leaders, representing the ''uji'' (clans), convene in Izumo to engage in discussions regarding governance and economic matters. Consequently, as society develops democratically, production systems become fully democratized and economic domination diminishes, leading to a society where individuals coexist and prosper equally; the need for such prayers to the “gods” thus naturally diminishes, and the tangible belief in them gradually disappears. In short, it is reasonable to understand that once a society reaches a stage where social life is based on equal coexistence and mutual prosperity, and production is democratically organized, the reliance on such “gods” for prayers becomes unnecessary. This is analogous to the fact that healthy individuals have no need to pray to gods or buddhas for healing, whereas sick people do.

In essence, whether it be the initial natural phenomena or the subsequent economic relationships, the true nature of the gods that were traditionally believed to exist has been fully dissected, and their illusionary nature has been thoroughly examined and accounted for through the advancement of science and the increase of productive forces. Upon full consideration, this perspective seems to be correct.