著者
大杉 由香
出版者
土地制度史学会(現 政治経済学・経済史学会)
雑誌
土地制度史学 (ISSN:04933567)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.39, no.1, pp.48-62, 1996

This paper examines connection between surroundings of poors and politics to them and what kind of situation that national relief could be restricted in Tokyo (Wards) in Early Meiji period. It is certain that there were two sorts of relief, one was for disabled and foundlings, the other was for working poors. I focus on the former since the latter isn't pure welfare politics. After the collapse of relief supported by towns, relief depended on Tokyo Prefecture considerably because rich inhabitants who had supported towns grew needy. Moreover merchants and landowners connected with national government wouldn't help poors positively. Tenants were not special people for them because rented houses were in great demand in Tokyo. If poors couldn't pay house rent, there did not cause big problems for landowners since many of them earned their living by commerce besides house rent. That was why they took negative attitude toward poors. Tenants who were odd job men tended to move to places where house rent were cheaper. Thereby they didn't need strong connection with landowners. Relationship in the neighborhood in Wards were weaker than in Districts. Compared with Districts, there were much more people who were helped by public relief in Wards. I analyzed rates of national relief for disabled and orphans as a percentage of the population there, but the rate was lower than national average because of relieving disabled in prefectural Nursing Home (Yoiku-in) and Lunatic Asylum (Tenkyo-in). The rate of only orphans was higher than the average because Tokyo Prefecture didn't help many of them. In conclusion, Tokyo Prefecture couldn't help relieving poors positively owing to weak relationship in the neighborhood and depressd charity. National relief which was restricted to a few of disabled could be done as far as prefectural relief was effective.