land surveying

The beginning of the decisive financial difficulties of the Soma clan.
It's the beginning of the 18th century.

A century had passed already from the Tokugawa regime established.
Of course sundry expenses had been pressured to the finances of Soma clan.

They decided to run a land surveying as its breakthrough.
Decades had elapsed since the last land surveying.
Changes in the agricultural situation.
It was clear.

Of course farmers who have lost their fields were present.
At the same time，development of new fields by farmers was also progressing.

Its fields were not record in land surveying book.
So de facto tax-free land was exists.

Yields of rice of Soma clan.
Before land surveying，it was 60,000（koku）.

After land surveying，it became 98,000（koku）.
It was an increase of more than 50%.
　
Vassals and lord.
They partitioned it.
And they run taxation.　
　
Their financial situation were became better in a moment.
And their financial situation were became very worse immediately.
　
　
・・・・・・・・・　


Lords was not current local government.　
Of course, public and private had been confused.

"Public welfare."
However，this idea was present in samurai already.
They were not mere exploitation agency.
Therefore，tax increase to some extent was natural.

However，they was surveying an increase in land exactly.

"They did should properly investigated not only the land of farmers but also the situation of farmers.
But they were thinking immediate increase only.
They did not think about the life of farmers."
Tomita said so.
　
It may be that their finances that had been cornered up there.
However,when lords was needy，farmers were more needy.

Farmers had retained their own lives by development of new field.
Development of new field might have been right to life of them.
It had disappeared.