<論説>ジョン・シャーマン : アメリカにおける政治家集団への試論

Abstract

本稿は、アメリカ史における二つの画期、「南北戦争」と「帝国主義」とのあいだの史的関連を明確にし、一九世紀後半期にたいする総括的な視点を設定するためにはじめた政治史分析の一つである。共和党「雑種」派の頭目ジョン・シャーマンの財政・金融政策についての検討をとおして、ヤンキー型帝国主義にかんする一つの先駆的な構築過程をあきらかにすることを目的とし、前稿「J・G・ブレーン──アメリカにおける政治家集団への試論Ⅰ──上・下」(「立命館文学」第二五八、二七〇号) をうけており、「試論Ⅱ」に当るものである。

It is one of the most interesting subjects in the study of Amecrican history to make clear the structural connection between the two periods : the Civil War (Second American Revolution) and the American Imperialism. And the effective approach to the problem mentioned above seems to be found in the analysis of the groups of politicos who got to the seat of power through the Civil War and thereafter had the strong influence in the latter half of 19th century. This article, by examining John Sherman's long public life, throws light on the some aspects as follows : that there existed the most powerful group named 'Half Breed' by its rivals, which rose among the Republican radicals whose leadership had been eminent during the Civil War, and John Sherman, having kept his position as a big shot of 'Half Breed' for about a generation, concentrated his effort to realize the gold standard in the United States from his Wall street-International finance capital point of view, and finally as to the American expansion abroad, he played the important role as a forerunner to 'Informal Empire' of which idea was later clearly embodied in the Open Door policy at the turn of the century.