清道光至咸豐初年河漕停運之水手問題處理
李順民
慈濟技術學院護理系
摘 要
中國自秦漢大一統王朝創立漕運制度後，施行達兩千年之久，至明清發展為由政府負責長途運輸，清代更引入民間水手參與其中。清代漕運水手愈至後期素質愈差，且結幫成派擾亂治安，當道光朝之後漕運漸由河運轉成海運，失業水手處置遂成為清廷亟待解決之課題。清代首次河漕停運，乃因運道阻滯，而於道光六年試行海運，英和、陶澍等大臣以減運之「資遣調劑」面對水手問題，未引起水手太大抗爭。往後廿年河漕勉強維持，道光廿八年起蘇南漕糧改行海運，清廷為解決停運水手問題，乃議定〈資遣回籍章程〉，避免遣散水手聚集勾結而滋擾地方。道光廿八年後，清代漕運進入河海並運時期，咸豐二年浙江漕糧亦加入海運。咸豐三年太平天國阻斷運河，加上清廷實行折徵、減漕，河漕可謂全面停運，失業之水手充斥江南。清廷為免船舶、水手為太平軍所用，乃一面漸次遣散水手，同時僱募水手充當兵勇。儘管咸豐三年爆發小刀會之亂，造成上海淪陷，所幸清廷對停止河運引發之水手問題已預作防範，耗費大量金錢於調劑資遣，成功的讓失業水手「不與賊合」，將清朝政府之危機減至最低。綜觀清道光至咸豐初年河漕停運引發之水手問題，基本上是一個觀察清廷危機處理的案例。首先就分析危機而言，清廷將河漕停運延伸之水手問題，定位為具社會影響力之經濟課題。其次，就擬定策略論，即是「資」、「遣」並行，以資利誘水手，以威厲行遣散，透過此威脅、利誘雙管齊下，讓水手就範。而在政策落實方面，清廷挑選之官員多能勇於任事，不同職位之地方官員、糧道、武將皆能有效執行資遣政策。最後，在回饋機制方面，清廷頗能在經驗中學習成長，如發現對資遣調劑之財政負擔評估錯誤，隨即調整處理方式；如發現水手縴夫人數過鉅，即改採分區分起遣散，減輕對社會之衝擊。綜合以上論述，可知清廷在處理河漕停運之水手問題上，基本上掌握危機處理之節奏，能在事先多所規劃，並無陷入手忙腳亂之困境，其危機處理可謂相當成功。
關鍵字：清代、漕運、水手、危機處理
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Dealing with the Sailor Problems Arising from Suspending the Operation of Ts’ao –Yun in the Late Period of Ch’ing Dynasty
Lee Shun-Ming
Department of Nursing Tzu Chi College of Technology
Abstract
Ts’ao –Yun institution was one of the oldest institutions in China, it was followed down to Ch’ing Dynasty. The Ts’ao –Yun institution appeared a major changing in the last empire, it allowed ordinary sailors to join the works to transport grain to national capital. The numbers of sailors were more than one hundred thousand people, and most of them were rascals. The Great Canal was injured in the early 19th century, Ts’ao – Yun institution was gradually changed to rely on sea transportation, and transporting by canal was suspended. This changing made Ch’ing government fall into a dangerous situation, because suspending the operation of Ts’ao –Yun would make sailors become jobless rascals. Within a short time, The Heavenly Kingdom of Peace was founded, it held a view to against Ch’ing Dynasty, and welcomed the jobless sailors to joined their army. Ch’ing government managed to solve this crisis with two policies; one was offering enough money to dismiss sailors, another to force sailors back to their hometowns. Ch’ing government made complete and detailed plans, chose smart officers to execute the mission, and corrected errors immediately. Hence Ch’ing government managed the sailors problems wisely. Only very few jobless sailors joined The Heavenly Kingdom of Peace until it collapsed. Ch’ing government showed us how to manage crisis in this special issue.
Keywords: Ts’ao –Yun, manage crisis, sailor, Great Canal