Formation of modern urban governance systems in early Meiji-era Three Major Cities

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K22008
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0103:History, archaeology, museology, and related fields
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Sakishima Tatsuya 東京大学, 大学院人文社会系研究科(文学部), 助教 (10880742)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 近代都市 / 行財政 / 府税 / 府会 / 同業組合 / 株仲間 / 明治初期

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this research is to clarify the formation process of the urban administrative and financial system in the local government system during the early Meiji era. We approached this issue from two perspectives: (1) the changes in the relationship with business people who paid taxes, which characterized urban finance, and (2) the administrative and financial changes brought about by the establishment of the Prefectural Assembly.
As a result, firstly, the analysis of the Edo Lumber Wholesaler Association and the Osaka Traders Association shows that the logic of grouping unions, as represented by "Myogakin" and "Gorinkin," was affected by the reform of the tax system and local systems, which in turn impacted their survival.Secondly, an analysis of the proceedings of the Osaka Prefectural Assembly in 1887 revealed the introduction of fairness in competition and market principles into the administration. However, the issue of comparing the three prefectures remained unresolved.

Free Research Field

近代都市史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、近代都市史において課題であった近世近代移行期の制度史研究に、都市社会の不可欠の構成要素である仲間や同業組合との関係性を踏まえて取り組み、近世都市史との接続を目指した点、農村部を対象に論じられてきた地方制度史に都市部の分析を加えた点に学術的意義がある。さらに、近世的な社会秩序を脱しながら近代的行財政制度が構築される過程で、三府において「地方」とは異なる社会構造の上にどのような特徴をもった地方制度が作られていくのかを扱った本研究は、都市への人口集中が継続し、ふさわしい大都市制度を模索する今日において、長期的な視野に立った検討材料を提供することに繋がるという社会的意義をもっている。