<論説>元老制度再考 : 伊藤博文・明治天皇・桂太郎

Abstract

元老は慣例として形成され、後継首相推薦などの重要な国務について天皇の諮問を受ける役目を果たした。本稿は元老制度に関し、宮中関係者の手になる「徳大寺実則日記」などの史料を初めて本格的に用いて、制度の形成や運用過程における明治天皇と元老との関係や元老根互の関係など、元老制度の構造と機能について考察しようとするものである。元老制度は、日清戦争前後に明治天皇によって作られ始めたが、一八九八年に確立したときに主導権を握っていたのは、伊藤博文らの元老であった。天皇の厚い信任を得ていた伊藤は、元老中最も高い位置づけを得た。山県系官僚閥を率いる山県有朋でさえ、伊藤の格式に並ぶことはなかった。しかし日露戦争後は、元老の政治力の衰退が現れ、明治天皇が制度運用の実権を握った。その天皇の信任を背景として政治的に台頭していくのが、桂太郎である。そのことが山県有朋ら元老の反発を買い、大正政変で桂が失脚させられていく重要な背景となった。

The Genro 元老, or elder statesmen, in positions established by convention, acted as consultants to the Emperor concerning important matters of state, such as the recommendation of candidate to succeed as prime minister, etc. In this paper, using Completely for the first time historical sources including "Sanenori Tokudaiji Dairy" 徳大寺実則日記 by a central participant in court affairs, I will examine the formation of the Genro system, and the relationships between Emperor Meiji and the Genro, and among the various Genro in the working of the system. Emperor Meiji began to form the Genro system around the time of the Sino-Japanese War. However, it was Genro such as Ito Hirobumi 伊藤博文 who acquired control over the system with its establishment in 1898. Ito Hirobumi was the most respected amongst the Genro because of the degree of trust which the Emperor placed in him. Even Yamagata Aritomo 山県有朋, who was the leader of the Yamagata Faction in the bureaucracy had less authority than Ito. However, after the Russo-Japanese War, the power of the leading Genro was greatly weakened, and Emperor Meiji was able to gain greater control over the system. Subsequently, Katura Taro 桂太郎, favoured with the trust of the Emperor, emerged as a major political force. The offence felt at this by the leading Genro, in particular Yamagata, was a principal factor in Katsura's loss power in the political upheavals of the early Taisho period.