Background and Economic Historical Significance of the Formation of Regional Public Goods Financing by Regional Funds

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K13334
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 07070:Economic history-related
• Research Institution: Tohoku University (2022-2023); University of the Sacred Heart (2021)
• Principal Investigator: Kazuho Sakai 東北大学, 経済学研究科, 准教授 (30823794)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 地域基金 / 公共財 / 地方財政 / 地方資産家

Outline of Final Research Achievements

From the late Edo period through the Meiji period, local communities often utilized common property assets such as money, rice, and grain as funds, and used the interest and investment profits from these funds to cover policy expenses for public Goods. Why was such a system of financing local public goods through local funds rather than tax collection necessary, and how was it created? This study clarifies these questions by delving into the current perceptions and policy intentions of policymakers at the time.

Free Research Field

経済史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の学術的意義は、「地域基金の造成・運用を通じて地域公共財をファイナンスする仕組み」という新たな枠組みを提示し、既存の研究分野・事例を総合化しようとした点である。これにより、地方財政史研究を基軸として、社会福祉史や教育史、地方商人・資産家たちの民間部門での活動に着目する「地域」経済史など隣接する諸研究分野を接続・融合し、新たな研究潮流を創り出すことを目指した。