Petition by Kuhachiro Uezaki

During the Kansei Reforms (1787-93), Uesaki Kuhachiro Masayori of the Shogunate's Kobushingumi wrote this opinion paper on the Edo Shogunate government. It was dated July 1787 (Tenmei 7). From the standpoint of a Shogunate vassal who was dissatisfied with Tanuma's government, he hoped for a political reform and frankly discussed the issues of political reform. In other words, he sharply criticized the government of the previous senior councilor Tanuma Okitsugu, and called for the reduction of the tax burden, discipline, promotion of talented people, lowering prices, curbing consumption, and preventing a decline in the agricultural population. Petitions were booming at the time, and this, along with Confucian scholar Otsuka Takatake's "Time-saving measures" and Getaya Jinbei's petition, show the great expectations placed on the Kansei Reforms. However, because his expectations were not fully realized, Uesaki later wrote a volume of "Sensaku Zasshu" (Miscellaneous Collection of Policies) in which he also criticized Matsudaira Sadanobu's reform politics. Both works are included in the 20th volume of "Nihon Keizai Taiten" (Encyclopedia of Japanese Economy).

[Makoto Takeuchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

寛政(かんせい)の改革（1787～93）の際、幕府小普請組(こぶしんぐみ)の植崎九八郎政由(まさより)が書いた江戸幕政についての意見書。1787年（天明7）7月付けの建白である。田沼(たぬま)政治に不満をもっていた幕臣の立場から、政治の刷新を期待し、改革政治の課題を率直に論じている。すなわち前代の老中田沼意次(おきつぐ)の政治を痛烈に批判し、年貢負担の軽減、綱紀の粛正、人材の登用、物価の引き下げ、消費の抑制、農業人口減少の防止などを主張している。当時は上書ブームであり、儒者大塚孝威の「救時策」や下駄屋甚兵衛(げたやじんべえ)の上書などとともに、寛政の改革に寄せる期待の大きさをうかがうことができよう。なおその期待が十分に実現されなかったため、のちに植崎は『牋策雑収(せんさくざっしゅう)』1巻を書き、松平定信(さだのぶ)の改革政治をも批判している。ともに『日本経済大典』第20巻に所収。

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