<論説>ミルナー・キンダーガルテンの南アフリカ経験 (一八九九―一九一〇年) と「シティズンシップ」

Abstract

二〇世紀初め、イギリス帝国は、第二次南アフリカ戦争(一八九九―一九〇二年) 、南アフリカ連邦結成(一九一〇年) の二大契機を経て、ケープ、トランスヴァール等南部アフリカ諸地域の一元的支配を最終的に確立した。この確立を現地において推し進めた中心勢力が、L・カーティス等一一人の、いわゆるミルナー・キンダーガルテンである。本稿は、その南アフリカ経験を、「シティズンシップ」(市民として政治に参加する権利/市民意識) の観点に立って考察する。メンバーによる白人の「シティズンシップ」涵養にはトランスヴァール再建時、エリート志向等の限界が存在した。しかし、こうした限界は二つの契機を経て変化する。つまり、第一に中国人労働者導入問題(一九〇四―〇六年) は「白人国家」の認識を、第二に連邦結成は「(帝国を上位に戴く) コロニアル・ナショナリズム」の認識をメンバーに付与した。かかる示唆を得て、メンバーは一九一〇年以降、コモンウェルスへと向かう帝国全体の再編に際しても中心的役割を担う。その際にも、「シティズンシップ」の涵養、もしくは非西洋世界に「市民社会」を移植する演出は重要な意味を有した。

The members of Milner Kindergarten, all of whom were the Oxford graduates, played an important role in the administrative staff of Lord Milner, the High Commissioner, both in the reconstruction of Transvaal in the aftermath of the Second South African War of 1899-1902 and in the unification of South Africa in 1910. They also contributed to the transition from the British Empire to the Commonwealth as leading members of the Round Table group in the first half of the 20th century. However, researchers have yet to consider the meaning of their South African days or their conception of citizenship. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to rethink their experiences in South Africa in terms of "citizenship". Some of the members had been interested in the problems of philanthropy, social reform and citizenship since their Oxford days, and they had been sympathetic towards the white colonists in South Africa following their move there at the turn of the century. However, in the reconstruction of Transvaal, they discriminated against the poor whites of the Boer population as regards citizenship, although they considered them to be fit objects of philanthropy and social reform. In conclusion, there were two turning points in the experiences of Kindergarten in South Africa. First of all, because of Boer opposition to the introduction of Chinese labourers in Transvaal, they came to think of the poor whites as holders of citizenship, and they became interested in the creation of the concept of "a white man's country". Secondly, because of the "colonial nationalism" displayed in the Cape during the unification of South Africa, they learned how colonial citizens might be led, and they transferred their efforts to the new job of solving the problems of the Empire.