The middle calss of the late Medieval village was called dogo (土豪), jinushi (地主) or sho-ryoshu (小領主). They have been an important focal point in the recent research made about the late Japanese Medieval village. This trend forward research concerning this middle class has helped to review much a about the movements which took place in every village. However what is lacking is an explanation of the relationship between the village and the local seigniors (zaichiryos 在地領主). This relationship was indispensable for researching the village structure in the first half of the Medieval period. In this essay the author will explain the relationship between the village and the local seigniors and its eventual breakdown, using the Toji temple's Yano-no-sho estate as an example. 1) The shokans (荘官) or the seigniors resided over the estate's tax unit (myo 名) in the Yano-no-sho estate and were responsible for collecting and paying the tax (nengu 年貢) to Toji temple, who was the proprietor of that shoen. The shokans also distributed the tax burden among the shoen's yeoman peasants (hyakusho 百姓). This was the shoen tax collection system. The shokans also took on the role of passing on the hyakusho's requests to the shoen proprietor for reducing taxes and assingning the myo. This shows the superiority of the shokans over hyakusho from a political standpoint. 2) The shokans did not rule over agricultural productions, nor were they involved in the political structure the villages. There were five villages in the Yano-no-sho estate during the 15th century. Either the allied villages or a single village controlled the rights to utilize irrigation ditches and forests for various kinds of agricultural productions. By the 15th century the shokans were only superior to the hyakusho because of their title. 3) However, during the 15th century the shokans continued to strengthen their economic positions. This caused the shokans not to pay the nengu to the shoen proprietor. Toji temple took countermeasures against this and relieved the shokans from their positions as tax collectors. As a result the shokans's power which was supported by the social system steadily weakened. 4) In the latter half of the 15th century, shokans broke away from the system and formed an alliance with shugo (守護) and kokujin(国人),who lived outside of the shoen. They directed their force to the villages. It is only by explaining the relationship between the shokans and the village that a complete understanding of the change of status of the shokans can be made. In addition, it is hoped that the foregoing argument will contribute toward furthering, the reexamination of the land rent (kaji-shi 加地子).

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Die Grundungszeit mainfrankischer Stadte konzentriert sich vornehmlich auf den Zeitraum zwischen 1250 und 1350. Die meisten davon haben den Charakter als Ackerburgerstadt und verbreiten slch dichter im sudwestlichen Teil, wo unerschlossener Boden umfangreicher war als im starker besiedelten nordostlichen Teil. Das ist darauf zuruckzufuhren, daB der erstere politisch mehr xerstuckelt war als der letztere. Denn in diesem Raum dienten die Stadte bei der territorialen Bildung als politische und militarische Stutzpunkte und wurden deshalb lieber in dem Raum gegrundet, wo die Landesherren miteinander um die Ausdehnung und Festigung ihrer Territorien heftig konkurrierten. Diese Grundungsverhaltnisse ubten auf die Lage und die Siedlungsstruktur der Stadte sowie auf die Stadt-Land-Beziehungen einen tiefgreifenden EinfluB aus. Die Stadte entstanden oft im Randgediet der Territorien und wirtschaftsgeographisch nicht gunstigen Ort und dabei wurde dem Mauerbau eine groBe Bedeutung beigemessen. AuBerdem lieBen die Stadtherren die Bauern entweder durch Zwang oder durch Freiheitszusicherung aus dem Umland einwandern, um ihren Stadten notwendige militarische und wirtschaftliche Starke zu schaffen und wenn das keinen befriedigenden Erfolg erlangte, wurde den Dorfbewohnern des umliegenden Landes die Wehrpflicht in der Stadt auferlegt. Auch nach der Stadtgrundung haben sich die Landesherren bemuht, ihren Stadten verschiedene Funktionen zu geben. Vor allem wurde die wirtschaftliche Funktion derch handelspolitische MaBnahmen verstarkt (StraBenzwang, Geleitwesen, Stapelrecht, Marktzwang usw.). Diese Politik fuhrte dazu, daB das wirtschaftliche Einzugsgebiet der Stadte strak auf die Territorien, zu denen sie gehorten, beschrankt wurde, SchlieBlich haben wir Wechsel und Aufteilung der Stadtherrschaft behandelt und daraus das Ergebnis gezogen, daB die Veranderung der territorialen Verhaltnisse sehr oft Bestehen und Entwicklung der Stadte gefahrdete, weil sie mlitarisch, wirtschaftlich und politisch anf ihre Territorien stark angewiesen waren. Im groBen und ganzen konnen wir annehmen, daB mainfrankische Stabte als politisches und militarisches Mittel zur territorialen Bildung eine groBe Rolle spielten und daB dis Stadtwirtschaft auch dadurch entscheidend bestimmt war.

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After the First World War, rural problems became objects of public concern and in fact the tenant farmers, some of whom were organized by the Japanese Peasants Union, struggled against land owners in various rural districts. This note deals with Denzo Furuse (1888-1959), who has been considered to be a representative of "Nohonshugi" group in the Japanese Peasants Union. He soon took a critical attitude toward the lines of the Japanese Peasants Union and advocated the idea of Peasants' Party taking part in its movement practically. He participated in editing "Ie no Hikari" and also edited "Noseikenkyu" (Journal of Agrarian Political Study) for about twenty years. His various activities were motivated by rousing public opinion about rural problems. The purpose of this note is to clarify the historical meaning of those movements which Furuse took part in, through following his tracks from the 1920' to the 1930'. First I examine his perception of agriculture, rural community and peasants, secondly make clear his activities at each period. Though I shall not argue "Nohonshugi" directly, I want to pay attention to the basis of "Nohonshugi" through his arguement of Rural Culture and so on. Furuse thought that the agriculture which should have occupied an important position in national economy was neglected after the First World War and that peasants put up with being as objects of agrarian policies. Therefore he persuaded peasants to realize their situation and to unite themselves so that they could become a political power to excersise a strong influence on the agrarian policies, which had to be balanced with the commercial and industrial policies. His idea of Peasants' Party was on these lines. And Furuse asserted not only that peasants had to substantiate the co-operative association but also that the Administration had to change the current policy into a new one which was based on productive peasants in order to stabilize the agriculture and to make rural communities prosperous which were the foundation of the nation. He emphasized the necessity of adapting peasant economy to the capitalistic system. Furuse consequently made a realistic choice according to the time and his ideas can be recognized by his participation of the Japanese Peasants Union (1922) and the establishment of "Nosangyoson Bunka Kyokai" (the Cultural Society of Agriculture, Mountain and Fishing Villages, 1940). Thereafter he was to adjust to the cource of the Administration gradually in wartime.

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