井原西鶴は, 1680年代から90年代にかけて, 町人を題材とした作品を残しており, そこからは, 西鶴の経済思想が析出できる。しかし, 従来の研究は, その思想を必ずしも当時の経済と適正に結びつけて考察していない。本稿では西鶴の時代を, 市場経済と都市社会が展開をしはじめ, それが権力に妨げられることが比較的少なかった成長期と捉え, その中で西鶴が, 市場と都市の本質について, その光と影の両面を鋭く見つめていたことを明らかにする。
Ihara Saikaku was one of the most famous novelists of the Edo Period. He wrote many popular storybooks concerning the lives of townspeople in 1680s and 90s, wherein we can discover his economic thoughts. However, previous studies have not clearly explained his economic thought because of the improper knowledge of economic history. This study considers the second half of the 17th century as a period of new economic growth, wherein the market economy and urban society were beginning to develop. Though Saikaku felt the life in this new society as rootless and somehow false and thought the life of agrarian people as real human, he advocated concerning the aggressive economic life of townspeople. This study clarifies Saikaku's such ambivalent thoughts regarding economic circumstances.

故岡田泰男名誉教授追悼特集 : 経済学部における歴史研究 : 日本, アジア, そしてアメリカ