Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T10:28:04.723Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Agricultural Development in Taiwan under Japanese Colonial Rule

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 March 2011

Get access

Extract

Studies of Asian agriculture have argued that land-tenure systems have often retarded agricultural development, in that unequal land distribution and widespread tenancy have given peasants little power to resist landlord efforts to squeeze and rack-rent them. Because landlords have been disinclined to devote their wealth and energies to improving the land, agriculture has stagnated and peasants have became poorer. A conspicuous weakness in this argument is that it begs the question whether a land-tenure system of more or less equal holdings best promotes agricultural development. The land-tenure system influences income distribution in agriculture, but it is impossible to say how a given income distribution influences landlord consumption, saving, and investment decisions unless more is known about the social and political institutions of a given rural society.

Type
Symposium on Chinese Studies and the Disciplines
Copyright
Copyright © Association for Asian Studies, Inc. 1964

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Klein, Sidney, The Pattern of Land Tenure Reform in East Asia After World War II (New York, 1958), p. 17Google Scholar; Institute of Pacific Relations, Agrarian China: Selected Source Materials from Chinese Authors (Chicago, 1938), Sect, 1Google Scholar; Parsons, Kenneth H., Penn, Raymond J., and Raup, Philip M., Land Tenure (Madison, 1956), p. 3Google Scholar; UN, Dept, of Economic Affairs, Land Reform: Defects in Agrarian Structure as Obstacles to Economic Development (New York, 1951).Google Scholar

2 Barclay, G. W., Colonial Development and Population in Taiwan (Princeton, 1954), Chap. 2Google Scholar; Ginsburg, N. S., Economic Resources and Development of Formosa (New York, 1953), Chaps. 1, 2Google Scholar; Johnston, Bruce F., “Agricultural Development and Economic Transformation: A Comparative Study of the Japanese Experience,” Food Research Institute Studies, III (11 1962), 252259.Google Scholar

3 A similar gross production index is presented by Hsieh, S. C. and Lee, T. H., An Analytical Review of Agricultural Development in Taiwan—An Input-Output and Productivity Approach (Taipei, 1958)Google Scholar, Chaps. 2, 3. The authors used 76 commodities for their index for the period 1910 to 1956. Meat and livestock products were included but were omitted in our index. Both indices show the same rate of growth.

4 Johnston, Bruce F., “Agricultural Productivity and Economic Development in Japan,” Journal of Political Economy, LX (12 1951), 499.Google Scholar

5 See the remarks by the traveller and writer Yoshio, Imamura, Imamura Yoshio I Kōshu (The Post humous Collected Worlds of Imamura Yoshio) (Tainan, 1925), p. 195.Google Scholar

6 In 1910 tenants and landlords constituted 42.8 and 33.7 per cent of total agricultural population, with tenant-owner cultivators making up the remainder; in 1945 the shares were 39.4 and 30.0 per cent respectively. See Bank of Taiwan, Ehr-chu shih-tai T'ai-wan ching-chi shih (Economic History of Taiwan during the Period of Japanese Rule), I (Taipei: Bank of Taiwan Printing Office, 1958), 20.Google Scholar

7 Kamehiko, Iwaki, “Gyōshu to Denjin to no Kankei ni tsuite” (“The Relationship between Landlord and Tenant”), Taiwan Nōjihō, CXLIX (04 1919), 203.Google Scholar

8 Gyokō, Haku, “Beisaku Kairyō no Shōgai Kenkyū” (“A Study of Obstacles Preventing the Improvement of Rice Cultivation”), Taiwan Nōjihō, LXXVIII (05 1913), 422423Google Scholar. The author is Taiwanese.

9 Ibid., p. 423.

10 The clearest and most precise statements of Japanese colonial agricultural policy can be found in the Taiwan Nōjihō, a remarkable primary document, published by the Taipei agricultural experimental station. For an official statement on using persuasive means, see Inazo, Nitobe, “Nōgyō Shidōsha no Kokoro e” (“How to Lead the Taiwanese Farmer”), Taiwan Nōjihō, CXIII (04 1916), 263Google Scholar; see also Kamehiko, Iwaki, pp. 205206Google Scholar, who cites examples of Japanese landlords establishing agricultural schools, credit associations, agricultural associations, and assisting tenants. Iwaki believed Taiwan landlords should be persuaded to behave in similar fashion. However, there was another school of officials whose spokesman perhaps was Togō Minoru. The argument of this group was that strong police and administrative action was required to make sure that technological change took root at the village level (see footnote 29). Both groups agreed upon the importance of the landlord; it seems that only slight differences in viewpoint prevailed about how to use the landlord to administration advantage.

11 The sweet potato was introduced to Taiwan from Fukien some time in the late 16th century. Its importance as a food crop is indicated by the local adage, “Taiwan's first harvest provides enough for all to eat for the entire year.” After 1895, sweet potatoes never became an important export but remained an important food supplement in the village. See Han-k'ung, Chen, “Hsiang-che in-chin T'ai-wan te t'an-t'ao” (“A Study of the Introduction of the Sweet Potato into Taiwan”), T'ai-wan Wen-hsien, XII (09 1961), 1018.Google Scholar

12 Shih-ching, Wang, “Ch'ing-tai T'ai-wan te mi-ch'an yu wai-hsiao” (“Taiwan's Rice Production and Export during the Ch'ing Period”), T'ai-wan Wen-hsien, IV (03 1958), 2731.Google Scholar

13 One estimate places cultivated area during Dutch rule of Taiwan at 10,000 hectares, at 18,000 hectares in 1680, and after Liu Ming-ch'uan's partial land survey, at 860,000 hectares. See Sheng-hsiang, Chen, “Economic Development and Geographical Changes in Taiwan,” Sonderdruck aus der Hermann Von Wissmann-Festschrift (Tubingen, 1962), p. 245.Google Scholar

14 Bank of Taiwan, Ch'ing-tai T'ai-wan ching-chi shih (An Economic History of Taiwan during the Ch'ing period) (Taipei, 1957), pp. 9798.Google Scholar

15 The first British official to visit Taiwan stated: “The trade-commissioner assured me that the worth of the island was entirely eaten up by the rottenness of its administration, and that Taiwan, instead of being a valuable appanage to the crown, was a thorn in the side, and a drain on the purse of the provincial government (Fukien).” See Rev. Summers, James, ed., The Chinese and Japanese Repository, XIII (London, 1864), 162.Google Scholar

19 Kai, Rinji Taiwan Kyūkan Chōsa, Rinji Taiwan Kyūkan Chōsa Kai Dai Ichi Chōsa Hōkokushō (First Report of the First Division of the Provisonal Committee for the Investigation of Social Manners and Customs in Formosa), I (Kyoto, 1903), 144170Google Scholar. This section is devoted to describing early Ch'ing land cultivation policy in Taiwan.

17 Ōkurasho, , ed., Metji Taisho Zaisei Shi (History of Meiji and Taisho Finance), XIX (Tokyo, 1958), 198.Google Scholar

18 Ibid., p. 198.

19 Ibid., p. 217.

20 Ibid., p. 230.

21 Ibid., p. 230.

22 Bank of Taiwan, Taiwan Ginkō ni Ju-nen Shi (A Twenty Year History of the Bank, of Taiwan) (Tokyo, 1919), p. 104.Google Scholar

23 Ōkurasho, p. 236.Google Scholar

24 Shimpatsu, Hayashi, ed., Taiwan Hattatsu Shi (A History of Taiwan's Development) (Taipei, 1936)Google Scholar, Section on Industry, p. 50.

25 Iide Kiwata (translated from the Japanese into Chinese by Kuo Hui), Ehr-chu hsia chih t'ai-cheng (Administration of Taiwan under Japanese Rule), II (Taipei: Taiwan sheng wen-hsien wei-yuan hui, 1956), 554555Google Scholar. In 1908–1909 the number of districts (chō) was reduced to twelve. Shortly afterwards nōkai were established in all twelve chō. For a table listing early administrative reforms, see Ching-chia, Huan, “Ehr-chu hsia T'ai-wan chih chih-min ti fa-chih hsing chih-min t'ung-chih” (“Colonial Legal System and Control of Taiwan during the Period of Japanese Occupation”), T'ai-wan Wen-hsien, X (03 1959), 132.Google Scholar

26 Akira, Murakoso, “Chõ Nōkai no Shimei” (“The Mission of District Agricultural Societies”), Taiwan Nōjihō, CXLII (09 1918), 641.Google Scholar

27 Ibid., p. 641.

28 Keitarō, Odashiro, “Hontō Nōmin no Shidō” (“Leadership of Taiwan's Farmers”), Taiwan Nōjihō, 74 (01 1913)Google Scholar, I. For other studies of the role of nōkai role, see Akira, Murakoso, pp. 637645Google Scholar, Kentarō, Imaoka, “Ryōtaiho ni okeru Hontō Ishutsumai no Sūsei” (“Progress of Rice Exports from Taiwan to Japan during the Past Seventeen Years and Present Conditions”), Taiwan Nōjihō, LXXV (02 1913), 9Google Scholar. Imaoka naturally concedes the importance of new rice seeds as a causal factor increasing the Island's rice exports, but he considers the role played by officials who worked through district nōkai of equal importance; and Office of Chief of Naval Operations, Civil Affairs Handbook for Taiwan (Navy Dept., 1944).Google Scholar

29 Minoru, Togō, “Nōji Kairyō Sōgō no Sōsetsu ni tsuite” (“The Creation of Organizations for Improving Agriculture”), Taiwan Nōjihō, CLII (07 1919), 396.Google Scholar

30 Hayashi Shimpatsu, Sect, on Industry, pp. 47–50. December 20, 1901, Nōjishiken Jō, or agricultural experimental stations, were established in Taichung and Tainan. Later, stations were created in other districts. In 1908, expenditures out of ordinary account for these stations totaled 72,018 yen, or .4 per cent of ordinary expenditures. Expenditures gradually increased until in 1920 they were 570,173 yen, but still only .9 per cent of ordinary expenditures. See Ōkurasho, , pp. 933, 943.Google Scholar

31 For tobacco growing on experimental farms in the I-lan agricultural association, see Taiwan Nōjihō, LXXVI (03 1913), 4951Google Scholar; for managing an experimental farm, see Taiwan Nōjihō, LXXVIII (05 1913), 417420Google Scholar; for improvement of rice cultivation in the Taichung Nōkai, see Taiwan Nōjihō, LXXXI (08 1913), 745747Google Scholar; for crop experimentation in district nōkai see Taiwan Nōjihō, LXXXIX (06 1918), 416418.Google Scholar

32 For progress on stock farm at Heng-chun, see Taiwan Nōjihō, CXVIII (09 1916), 715731Google Scholar; for promoting cattle breeding in Taipei, see Taiwan Nōjihō, CXXII (01 1917), 1824.Google Scholar

33 Shinichirō, Suzuki, “Taiwan Saikin Kakushū Nōkai Hiryō Kyōdō Kōbai Jigyō ni tsuite” (“The Activities of Agricultural Society Joint Purchase Fertilizer Cooperatives in Various Rural Districts of Taiwan”), Taiwan Nōjihō, CLXXV (06 1921), 240251.Google Scholar

34 For a report of one annual meeting, see Taiwan Nōjihō, CXLII (09 1918), 646695.Google Scholar

35 Minoru, Togō, p. 397.Google Scholar

36 Hideo, Tanaka, “Jinushi Kai o Soshiki seyo” (“Promote Landlord Associations in Taiwan”), Taiwan Nōjihō, CXX (11 1916), 852Google Scholar; Akira, Murakoso, “Shōrai ni okeru Jinushi Kai no Jigyo” (“Activities of Landlord Associations in the Future”), Taiwan Nōjihō, CLVII (12 1919), 709Google Scholar; for more recent evidence on the role landlords played in the villages even outside of these associations, see Gallin, Bernard, “Social Effects of Land Reform in Taiwan,” Human Organization, XXII (1963), 111Google Scholar. According to Mr. Gallin, “Leadership roles were reinforced by the Japanese who preferred to handle village problems through the wealthy landlord class rather than to deal directly with the peasants.”

37 This factor has been stressed in an earlier study by Han-yu, Chang and Myers, Ramon H., “Japanese Colonial Development Policy in Taiwan, 1895–1906,” Journal of Asian Studies, XXII (08 1963), 440.Google Scholar

38 Hideo, Tanaka, “Hontō Nōgyō no Kaihatsu to Nōgyō Keisatsu” (“Agricultural Police Administration and Its Relation to the Development of Taiwan's Agriculture”), Taiwan Nōjihō, CLII (07 1919), 403Google Scholar; Minoru, Togö, “Shokuminchi Nōgyō Keisatsu Ron” (“Essays on Police Supervision in Colonial Agriculture”), Taiwan Nōjihō, CXLIV (11 1918), 771774.Google Scholar

39 Han-yu, Chang, “Ehr-chu shih-tai T'ai-wan ching-chi chih yen-pien” (“Transformation of Taiwan's Economy during the Period of Japanese Rule”), Tai-wan ching-chi shih ehr-chi (Taipei, 1955), p. 78.Google Scholar

40 Bank of Taiwan, I, 37, 4546.Google Scholar

41 Ibid., p. 146.

42 Hsieh & Lee, p. 531.Google Scholar

43 , Nagasaki, “Taiwan Bei Kairyō no Riron” (“Principles of Improving Taiwan's Rice”), Taiwan Nōjihō, LXXVII (04 1913), 62.Google Scholar

44 Sheng, Hsien, (pseudonym for Chang Han-yu) “Ehr-chu shih-tai T'ai-wan mi-keng nung-yeh chih chi-shu k“ai-fa” (“Technological Change in Rice Farming in Taiwan during the Period of Japanese Rule”), T'ai-wan ching-chi shih ch'i-chi (Taipei 1959), p. 42Google Scholar; Jirō, Miyauchi, “Sekibei Kenkyū” (“Studies of Red Rice Seeds”), Taiwan Nōjihō, LXXXV (12 1913), 11111115Google Scholar. These red rice seeds seemed to grow well in the alkaline soil of the north and in central Taiwan near the sea. See also the progress in eliminating red rice seeds in Chia-i, Nin, Suyenaga, “Kagi Chō ka Beisaku Kairyō ni tsuite Iken” (“Views on Progress in Rice Improvement in Chia-i District”), Taiwan Nōjihō, LXXVII (04 1913), 327.Google Scholar

45 Taichung Agricultural Association, “Taichū Chō Nōkai Beishu Kairyō” (“Improvement of Rice Cultivation by Taichung's Agricultural Association”), Taiwan Nōjihō, LXXVIII (05 1913), 464.Google Scholar

46 Jirō, Miyauchi, p. 1113.Google Scholar

47 Hachihirō, Matsuda, “Hontō Beisaku wa Keizai teki Shihi ni yori Shōshū Hyakuman Koku o Zōsan su” (“Increasing Taiwan's Rice Production by Several Million Koku by Means of Green Manure Crops”), Taiwan Nōjihō, CXXIX (08 1917), 616628.Google Scholar

48 Sheng, Hsien, p. 41Google Scholar; also , Nagasaki, “Taiwan ni okeru Tan-i Menseki Sanbei Zōshoku Ron” (“In creasing the Rice Crop per Unit Area in Taiwan”), Taiwan Nōjihō, CLXX (01 1921), 3Google Scholar. Nagasaki gives evidence to show that between 1908–1912 the average yield per chia was 18.57 koku and that between 1913–1917 it rose slightly to 19.89 koku per chia, an increase of 7 per cent. The chia is an old Taiwanese land unit measure equivalent to approximately 970 hectares.

49 Sheng, Hsien, p. 43.Google Scholar

50 Shigesaburō, Furusawa, “Naichi Shusuitō no Hatsuga Chikan ni kansuru Kenkyū” (“Research Concerning the Late Germination of Japanese Rice Seeds”), Taiwan Nōjihō, CXX (11 1916), 862863.Google Scholar

51 Mosaburō, Furusawa, “Tōsaku Kairyō ni tsuite” (“Improving Rice Cultivation in Taiwan”), Taiwan Nōjihō, CLVII (12 1919), 718.Google Scholar

52 Sheng, Hsien, p. 41.Google Scholar

53 Ibid., p. 44.

54 Ibid., p. 47.

55 , Nagasaki, “Momi Jinkō Kansōku Shiyō ni kansuru” (“Paddy Drying Machinery and Some of Its Uses”), Taiwan Nōjihō, CLXXIX (10 1921), 538546.Google Scholar

56 Fuchi, Imagawa, “Taiwan Nōgyō Sōko ni tsuite” (“On Farm Elevators in Taiwan”), Taiwan Nōjihō, CLXXX (11 1921), 591598.Google Scholar

57 Kyoku, Nōrinshō Nōmu, Beikaku Tōkei Nempō (Annual Statistical Report of Rice) (Tokyo: Nōrinshō Nōmu Kyoku, 1927), pp. 9293.Google Scholar

58 Inazo, Nitobe, p. 263.Google Scholar

59 Rokusaburo, Mochiji, ed., Taiwan Shokumin Seisaku (Taiwan Colonial Policy) (Tokyo: Fuzambo, 1912), pp. 174175Google Scholar. The authors are indebted to Prof. Chang Han-yu of National Taiwan University for pointing out this reference.

60 Jirō, Miyagawa, Taiwan Tōgyō no Hihan (Comments on the Sugar Industry of Taiwan) (Tokyo, Tōgyō Kenkyūkai, 1913), pp. 7475.Google Scholar

61 Ibid., p. 77.

62 Gyō, Hemmi, “Taiwan Beibu Kansho Saku ni tai suru Iken” (“On the Cultivation of Sugar Cane in Northern Taiwan”), Taiwan Nōjihō, LXXIX (06 1913), 506.Google Scholar

63 Ibid., p. 504.

64 Ibid., pp. 511–512.

65 Shōtarō, Kaneko, “Kansho Yūryōshū ni tsuite” (“Improved Sugar Cane Seeds”), Taiwan Nōjihō, LXXXIV (11 1913), 1004Google Scholar; Kōkyō, Mamuro, “Taiwan Santō Kaku no Shōrai” (“The Future of Taiwan's Sugar Industry”), Taiwan Nōjihō, CXXII (01 1917), 4.Google Scholar

66 Gyō, Hemmi, p. 512.Google Scholar

67 Bank, of Taiwan, I, 41.Google Scholar

68 Ibid., p. 41.

69 Jirō, Miyagawa, pp. 9495.Google Scholar

70 Shigesaburō, Furusawa, “Kansho to Karishitsu Hiryō (“Potash and Sugar Cane Cultivation”), Taiwan Nōjihō, CXXXV (02 1918), 104105.Google Scholar

71 Han-yu, Chang, p. 87.Google Scholar

72 Bank of Taiwan, I, 42.Google Scholar

73 Kaizō, Noma, “Taiwan no okeru Suiri Kyūkankō to sono Genson” (“Old and Present Customs of Water Control in Taiwan”), Nōgyō Keizai Kenkyū, II (05 1925), 218261.Google Scholar

74 Bank of Taiwan, T'ai-wan chih shui-li wen-t'i (The Problem of Water Conservancy in Taiwan) (Taipei, 1950), p. 2.Google Scholar

75 Bank, of Taiwan, I, 25.Google Scholar

76 Ibid., p. 26.

77 Ibid., p. 31. See also Rada, E. L. and Lee, T. H., Irrigation Investment in Taiwan (Taipei, 1963), pp. 3345Google Scholar; they show large increases in rice yields 1922–1938, resulting from new irrigation.