불교의 사회적 전법을 위한 일본 불교계의 생명보험업 진출의 교훈-메이지기 불교계 생명보험회사의 특징을 중심으로-

Abstract

After the Meiji Restoration, the Japanese Buddhist community, which had long been engaged in various charitable projects including money lending through “Kou,” entered the modern life insurance business. Although the life insurance industry was severely criticized in most Christian countries at the beginning of its formation, there was no moral criticism of life insurance from the religious world in Japan. The reason Japanese Buddhists entered the life insurance industry was because they desperately needed a variety of activities based on abundant economic power to counter the financial difficulties caused by the Meiji government's persecution of Buddhism and the expansion of Christianity. However, most Buddhist insurance companies disappeared shortly after their establishment. It was because of sales appeal to faith, the continuing deficit due to irrational management, the disputes between the major shareholders, the bankruptcy of the affiliated companies, and the arbitrary and authoritative decision- making structure of the central council of a sect. Although Buddhism's entry into the life insurance business was unsuccessful, it can be evaluated that tried the social transmission of Buddhism under the capitalist system in the its way.