<論説>近代移行期の地域資産をめぐる官と民 : 熊本藩領を事例に

Abstract

本稿では、一九世紀の藩領国下で形成された地域資産の歴史的変遷について、能本藩領を事例に、近代移行期地域社会論の観点から分析した。一九世紀の熊本藩領では、会所官銭などの民政基金・備荒貯蓄が百姓の雑税から形成され、藩の中間支配機構(手永) で巨額の資産形成が進められていた。雑税の徴収は下層民に重い負担を強いる側面も有していたが、会所官銭(郷備金) は農業インフラ整備や貧農の質地請戻しなどに運用され、地域社会の成立を財源面から支えていた。手永住民の民力で形成された資産ゆえに、「官」権力が成立した明治維新後、郷民(旧手永民) による地域資産への民有概念は顕在化し、「大区小区制」期にはその帰属をめぐって官民は地方民会・農民一揆などの場で激しく対立する。その結果、三新法体制では郷民による郷備金の自主的管理が認められ、以後の地域資産は地域社会のインフラ基盤形成(水利土木・教育・医療など) を支える存在となっていった。

In this article I use the case of the Kumamoto domain to analyze the historical changes in regional assets under domainal rule in the 19th century from the theoretical perspective of the study of local societies in the period of transition to the modern era. Within the Kumamoto domain in the 19th century civilian administrative funds, such as the Kaishohkansen (会所官銭), which were set aside for emergencies, were formed from the miscellaneous taxes collected from the farmers, and a large asset accumulation was advanced by the tenaga (手永), an organization of middle-ranking members of the ruling class of the domain. The collection of miscellaneous taxes imposed a heavy burden on the lower levels of the populace, but the Kaisyokansen (or Goubikin 郷備金) was employed for the maintenance of agriculture infrastructure and the recovery of land pawned by poor farmers and thus financially supported the formation of local society. Because these assets grew out of the strength of the people of the tenaga, after the Meiji Restoration, which was established through the power of the officials, kan, the concept of private ownership of regional assets by the people of the district (formerly the residents of the tenaga) became increasingly apparent. During the period of the "large-and-small-district system, " when local assemblies were being established, there was intense conflict between officials and the populace in places such as regional assemblies and in peasant revolts over to whom regional assets belonged. As a result, voluntary management of the Goubikin by local residents was recognized by the new system of three legal codes, and thereafter regional assets came to support the formation of basic infrastructure (water works/ education/ medical care) of local society.