근세 일본 지방행정조직의 구조: 오카야마번 (岡山藩) 의 군카이쇼 (郡會所) 사례 연구

Abstract

This article analyzes the structure of the regional administration in Earlymodern Japan through the organization of the Okayama Domain. Gundai and Koribugyo (magistrate of a country) are appointed and promoted according to the family status. In order to prevent corruption of officials and to protect (or dominate) farmers, the domain government has allowed local officials to live in castle towns, restricted their touring and business trips, and monitored and supervised them through controlling the superintendent officer of the district. In spite of having these systems to prevent corruption and collusion, officials still do not possess the basic understanding of the county and the sufferings of the local peasants under such circumstances. So, they performed negatively in the administration. Consequently, this encouraged more corruption when the officials were seeking higher positions. There were no exceptions for the village officers and servants of samurai. On the other hand, Kachi (Foot Guards) and lower-ranking warriors were not satisfied. They criticized the culture of over-dependence to the family status, the monopoly of official positions, the economic power by the higher-ranking samurai (Fudai) , and the dominance over their lives.