Abstract
The purpose of this analysis is to trace the rising process of the percentage of school attendance of the Meiji Era, especially in connection with the socioeconomic structure. First, I examined the rising process of the percentage of school attendance of each prefecture, and pointed out a few features in this process. Next, this study is tried to analyze from the following points, 1st, how the growth of commodity production in agriculture regulates the percentage of school attendance, 2nd, how the development of the parasitic-landlord does it, 3rd, how the capitalist production in industry does it. Through these analyses, four important phases are revealed. (1) The growth of commodity production in agriculture becomes the promoting factor to raise the percentage of school attendance, that is, commodity production in agriculture regulated the percentage in such a way that the higher the rate of commodity production, the higher the percentage of school attendance, and vice versa. (2) The development of the parasitic-landlord becomes the restraining factor to raise the percentage of school attendance, that is, the parasitic-landlord regulated the percentage in such a way that the higher the rate of a tenant's land, the lower the percentage of school attendance, and vice versa. (3) The growth of the capitalist production in industry becomes the fundamental lever to raise the percentage of school attendance, but on the other hand it also becomes the restraining factor by being in need of the increase of the poor and the existence of child labour, especially in its advanced district (city). (4) Finally, it must not be forgotten that people with the self-consciousness for "the necessity of education "or" the effects of education" which is regulated by the socio-economic factors above mentioned become to send their children to school.
