농촌진흥운동기(1932~1940)의 조선총독부의 소작정책

Abstract

The present study examined tenancy policies by the Japanese Government- General of Korea during the period of rural development(1932-1940), centering on ‘The Decree on the Tenancy Arbitration in Chosun’ and ‘The Decree on Farmland in Chosun.’ We explained the characteristics of tenancy policies by the Japanese Government-General of Korea by comparing the Tenancy Acts in Japan and the Tenancy Acts enforced by Japanese Government-General of Korea. During this period, the Japanese Government-General of Korea protected and supported the landlord system in Korea, but different from the 1920s, it promoted policies for managing landlords and improving the tenancy relationship partially. It was because, due to the great depression, tenant farmers’ resistance spread and developed into struggles for national liberation. In order to prevent tenant farmers’ resistance from developing into class struggles or national liberation movements, the Japanese Government-General of Korea enacted ‘The Decree on the Tenancy Arbitration in Chosun’ hurriedly. This law treated disputes over tenancy as disputes over rights and interests, and had them settled through administrative mediation. By the law, the Japanese Government-General of Korea controlled landlords so that tenancy relationship was not worsened any more. ‘The Decree on Farmland in Chosun’ was enacted to provide standards for settling disputes over tenancy through administrative mediation. This law guaranteed tenants 3 years’ right of cultivation, and prohibited landlords from terminating the tenancy contract as long as the tenants carried out their liabilities. This law also regulated landlords’ tenant lands and their agents (mareum 舍音). The regulation aimed at maintaining the landlord system and at the same time reducing disputes over tenancy and improving the productive function of landlord management. It was because the productivity of tenant lands should be enhanced for stable agricultural economy and furthermore for the establishment of the militaristic total national mobilization system in preparation of the war. However, the tenancy policy failed to attain the expected results due to landlords’ resistance and non- cooperation. Japanese imperialism, which had Aused the landlord system as a device for exploiting the colony, could not control the landlords’ resistance effectively. As Japan expanded its invasive war to China and Southeast Asia, the Japanese Government-General of Korea established a new tenancy policy that forced high productivity of tenant lands.