國立政治大學歷史學系

從中央農具廠到農林部無錫農具實驗製造廠(1943-1949)

The Development of National Wuxi Agricultural Machinery Works, 1943-1949

近年來已有不少學者注意到機械產業在近代中國經濟發展中的角色，但是甚少提及農業機械產業的作用。然而，以生產各類農場及農產加工機器用品為主的中小型機械廠，才是構成近代中國機械產業的主體。本文關注近代無錫機械產業的發展，發現許多當地的機械廠皆以生產機械農具、提供各式維修服務為主要業務。其中最具代表性者，是1943年汪精衛政府成立的中央農具廠，該廠戰後由國民政府接收並更名為農林部無錫農具試驗製造廠，與上海的中國農業機械公司同為政府經營下最重要之農業機械工廠，於戰後復員工作貢獻良多。1946年初復工後至1949年約3年的經營中，該廠雇用160名以上的技術工人，為國內規模最大的機械工廠之一。無錫農具廠主要產品是各式農業機械，尤其是中大型的抽水機與引擎，並與銀行合作提供江南地區農民使用。通過對無錫農具廠的研究，可以發現國家農業機械化政策與無錫當地社會經濟基礎相合的過程，對理解戰後農業發展幫助甚大。

In recent years, many scholarships has already noticed the machine industry in t in modern China. However, the role of agricultural mechinary industry in early 20th century has often been neglected. This article explores the machine industry, especially focusing on agricultural machinery factories in Wuxi (Wusieh), which was one of the most important industrial cities in modern China, Founded in 1943 by the Wang Jingwei regime, latertaken over by the Nationalist(KMT) Government in 1945, the National Wuxi Agricultural Machinery Works (NWAMW) was once the largest public-owned agricultural machine factory in China. Based on the machine industry in Wuxi, NWAMW re-worked about three years, from Feb. 1946 to Jan. 1949, employed more than 150 workers, and its major products were various kinds of pumps and engines. Through the study of NWAMW, we may understand the development of agricultural mechanization in modern China, and able to tackle the difficulties of conducting factories during wartime, namely during the WWII and the following Civil War.

農業機械化、無錫、機械產業、農業改良、農業技術

agricultural mechanization, Wuxi, machine industry, agricultural technology, agricultural improvement