幕末・明治初期における小商品生産者と一上層農の性格 : 群馬県吾妻郡養蚕・製糸地帯
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概要
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This article attempts to elucidate the development of small-scale commodity producers in the light of agricultural structure by analyzing managerial performance of a family, `Nakajima', who belonged to the upper peasantry at Agatsuma gun in Gumma ken. The business activities of the family were concentrated on purchase of cocoons, spinning of silk yarn, and selling of the yarn. Distinct landlord characteristics cannot be found in their management. Moreover the extent of their manufacturing activity was limited by both a large proportion the raw material occupied and low productivity of a hand reeling silk manufacturer, of which the former meant that their management was always very vulnerable to fluctuations in the market. The first point to be made clear of the Nakajima family's management is the way they gathered cocoons. They did not get them through Verlagssystem; rather the cocoons they bought were those produced by peasants who had not direct contact with the Nakajimas. This fact shows a general development of peasants industry in this area. The next point observed is the way they provided themselves with the money to purchase the cocoons with. They seldom borrowed the money from outside, which may have been due to their insufficient ability to secure their creditor on their property. Thus the amount of money available to purchase cocoons depended largely on the sale of silk yarn. When the money for the yarn was paid smoothly by the local merchants, then they could buy cocoons without difficulty, but immediately when the payment was delayed, they found themselves short of money and had difficulty purchasing cocoons in good time. So though their manufacturing business saw expansion both in scale and profit up to 1866, it gradually declined afterwards on account of delay of payments for their silk yarn by the local merchants. Such characteristics of the upper peasantry as were shown in the case of the Nakajimas cannot be explained simply by the development of commodity production in this area. It is necessary to examine the nature of their management and change of its content in terms of their monetary fund. With this in view, the writer intends to trace the managerial performance of one of thc upper peasants in those days.
- 1977-02-28