An electric retractable vehicle periphery viewing device, comprising: a base fixed to a vehicle body; a shaft fixed to the base; and a viewing assembly rotatably attached to the shaft; wherein the viewing assembly includes: a housing (4U, 4D); a viewing unit mounted in the housing (4U, 4D); and an electric retracting unit housed in the housing (4U, 4D) and configured to rotate the viewing assembly, wherein the electric retracting unit includes: the shaft; a casing (6U, 6D) rotatably attached to the shaft and fixed to the housing (4U, 4D); a motor and a speed reduction mechanism that are attached to the casing (6U, 6D), a clutch mechanism attached to the casing (6U, 6D), the clutch mechanism being in a connected state when the electric retractable vehicle periphery viewing device is in a normal state, to transmit a rotational force of the motor via the speed reduction mechanism to the casing, the clutch mechanism being in a disconnected state when force greater than the rotational force transmitted from the motor is applied to the viewing assembly, to rotate the viewing assembly without transmitting, to the speed reduction mechanism, the force greater than rotational force transmitted from the motor; and a rotational force transmission mechanism attached to the shaft and configured to transmit rotational force of the motor via the speed reduction mechanism and the clutch mechanism to the casing (6U, 6D) and to rotate the viewing assembly between a use position and a backward retracted position, wherein the motor, the speed reduction mechanism, a portion of the clutch mechanism, and the rotational force transmission mechanism are housed in the casing, characterized in that the motor, the speed reduction mechanism, the clutch mechanism, and the rotational force transmission mechanism are disposed colinearly along a straight line extending in a direction intersecting and substantially orthogonal with an axial direction of the shaft. a base fixed to a vehicle body; a shaft fixed to the base; and a viewing assembly rotatably attached to the shaft; wherein the viewing assembly includes: a housing (4U, 4D); a viewing unit mounted in the housing (4U, 4D); and an electric retracting unit housed in the housing (4U, 4D) and configured to rotate the viewing assembly, a housing (4U, 4D); a viewing unit mounted in the housing (4U, 4D); and an electric retracting unit housed in the housing (4U, 4D) and configured to rotate the viewing assembly, wherein the electric retracting unit includes: the shaft; a casing (6U, 6D) rotatably attached to the shaft and fixed to the housing (4U, 4D); a motor and a speed reduction mechanism that are attached to the casing (6U, 6D), a clutch mechanism attached to the casing (6U, 6D), the clutch mechanism being in a connected state when the electric retractable vehicle periphery viewing device is in a normal state, to transmit a rotational force of the motor via the speed reduction mechanism to the casing, the clutch mechanism being in a disconnected state when force greater than the rotational force transmitted from the motor is applied to the viewing assembly, to rotate the viewing assembly without transmitting, to the speed reduction mechanism, the force greater than rotational force transmitted from the motor; and a rotational force transmission mechanism attached to the shaft and configured to transmit rotational force of the motor via the speed reduction mechanism and the clutch mechanism to the casing (6U, 6D) and to rotate the viewing assembly between a use position and a backward retracted position, the shaft; a casing (6U, 6D) rotatably attached to the shaft and fixed to the housing (4U, 4D); a motor and a speed reduction mechanism that are attached to the casing (6U, 6D), a clutch mechanism attached to the casing (6U, 6D), the clutch mechanism being in a connected state when the electric retractable vehicle periphery viewing device is in a normal state, to transmit a rotational force of the motor via the speed reduction mechanism to the casing, the clutch mechanism being in a disconnected state when force greater than the rotational force transmitted from the motor is applied to the viewing assembly, to rotate the viewing assembly without transmitting, to the speed reduction mechanism, the force greater than rotational force transmitted from the motor; and a rotational force transmission mechanism attached to the shaft and configured to transmit rotational force of the motor via the speed reduction mechanism and the clutch mechanism to the casing (6U, 6D) and to rotate the viewing assembly between a use position and a backward retracted position, wherein the motor, the speed reduction mechanism, a portion of the clutch mechanism, and the rotational force transmission mechanism are housed in the casing, characterized in that the motor, the speed reduction mechanism, the clutch mechanism, and the rotational force transmission mechanism are disposed colinearly along a straight line extending in a direction intersecting and substantially orthogonal with an axial direction of the shaft.