Ryotaro Takahashi

Just wrapped up an incredible week at the World Economic History Congress in Lund, Sweden 🇸🇪! The whole city rolled out the welcome mat. I fielded thought-provoking questions from every angle, and they’ve already sparked fresh ideas for my future research. Absolutely loved the experience!

Paperの最後の箇所がとても良かった。シュンペーターの『租税国家の危機』における「thunder of world history more clearly than anywhere else」を「…Hence, it is a great case for some analytical self-reflection on why we C&EPE scholars have basically ignored half of the population when listening to the thunder of world history.」と言い換えている。

Invisible taxation: women and the tax state Tax systems in Europe and elsewhere severely discriminate against women. This has huge implications for their income, wealth and general power within society. It also leads to gendered consumption ...

Seelkopf, L. (2025). Invisible taxation: women and the tax state. Journal of European Public Policy, 1–13. doi.org/10.1080/1350...

本日付で慶應義塾大学経済学部の准教授に着任しました。今後ともどうぞよろしくお願いいたします。

I’m pleased to share that, as of today, I have assumed the position of Associate Professor at the Faculty of Economics, Keio University. I look forward to your continued support.

Reminder: Call for Papers for the 2025 SSHA Conference closes March 1st! Check out the details and submit your proposals here: ssha.org/conference/

2025年のSocial Science History Associationの申し込み締め切りは3月1日です(開催場所:シカゴ、大会日程:11月20日〜23日)。
質的・量的研究問わず様々な研究者が集まる国際学会です。私が所属するStates, Politics and Societyは、国・政治・社会を対象にする研究者の学際的なネットワークです！関心のある方はぜひご応募を☺️
何か分からないこと・気になることなどあれば気軽に聞いてください！

ssha2025.ssha.org

Takahashi, R. (2024). Tale of a Missed Opportunity: Japan’s Delay in Implementing a Value-Added Tax. Social Science History, 48(3), 545–569.
doi.org/10.1017/ssh....

Under Treasury Control: Japan’s Emergence as an Egalitarian, Small-government State This study analyses the formation of a policy system that reduced income inequality in Japan in the 1960s, a period of rapid economic growth. According to comparative research, the Japanese state i...

Takahashi, R. (2024). Under Treasury Control: Japan’s Emergence as an Egalitarian, Small-government State. Journal of Contemporary Asia, 1–21. doi.org/10.1080/0047...

My 2024 research activities included two peer-reviewed papers, two MISC publications, one conference presentation, and helping organize two conferences! In 2025, I’ll work hard to share all the research I’ve been preparing with the world! 🔥

Under Treasury Control: Japan’s Emergence as an Egalitarian, Small-government State This study analyses the formation of a policy system that reduced income inequality in Japan in the 1960s, a period of rapid economic growth. According to comparative research, the Japanese state i...

I'm thrilled to announce that my paper "Under Treasury Control: Japan’s Emergence as an Egalitarian, Small-government State" has been published in Journal of Contemporary Asia🎉🎉
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

How did Japan in the 1960s become more egalitarian while growing quickly and maintaining a small-government state? A fascinating interpretation by Ryotaro Takahashi!

Thanks to the 40+ presenters who made the State and Society sessions at #SSHA2024 such a success!

I’m excited to be co-organizing the State and Society sessions again for SSHA 2025 (Chicago, Nov 20-23) — save the date!

Despite public debt issuance in 1965, which was contrary to two fiscal rules, social security did not expand because of fiscal rigidification. Throughout the 1960s, spending on public works and income tax cuts was prioritised over social security, resulting in small government with income equality.

As reflected in the government’s Income Doubling Plan, this development led to a trade-off among factors, such as social security, public works, and tax cuts, which led to the subordination of social security.

This study uses primary materials to analyse why Japan became more egalitarian while maintaining a small-government state, focusing on fiscal rules set by the Ministry of Finance, which adopted a balanced budget rule that prevented the issuance of public bonds and limited the tax burden ratio.

Japan’s income inequality rose in the 1950s, and at that point, the government faced a decision about how to reduce income inequality, and particularly whether to expand social security and government size.

This study analyses the formation of a policy system that reduced income inequality in Japan in the 1960s, a period of rapid economic growth. According to comparative research, the Japanese state is an example of small government with income equality.

Under Treasury Control: Japan’s Emergence as an Egalitarian, Small-government State This study analyses the formation of a policy system that reduced income inequality in Japan in the 1960s, a period of rapid economic growth. According to comparative research, the Japanese state i...

I'm thrilled to announce that my paper "Under Treasury Control: Japan’s Emergence as an Egalitarian, Small-government State" has been published in Journal of Contemporary Asia🎉🎉
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

I'm thrilled to announce that my paper "Tale of a Missed Opportunity: Japan’s Delay in Implementing a Value-Added Tax" has been accepted by Social Science History 🎉 This paper analyzes why Japan was late to adopt VAT, a tax that supports the welfare state, through the tax authorities' debates.