Sociological consideration on nuclear power issue: the note for asking the present age

摘要

The issue of nuclear power is one of themes that tend to produce severe confrontation over the pros and cons of its utilization. The logic of the groups promoting nuclear energy utilization contains the conception which approves people's needs to energy and the paternalism that policy-making is to be in the hands of experts of specialized knowledge and ripe experiences. Behind the opinion of anti-nuclear groups of citizen movement style there are criticisms to the centralization of power and the technocracy, and they regard nuclear power as a symbol of the modern social system. On the other hand, the general publics who are put out of the decision-making process on nuclear power development are increasing the sense of powerless and apathy on the nuclear power issue, and their attitude of free ride on energy utilization is becoming predominant. The true targets to which both proponent and opponent groups should intervene seriously are free riders and the mechanism of the society structuring such situation. If both parties become deeply aware of the problems common to them and have intension of solving the problems, the scheme of the present conflict may change into that of complementary division of work.