Studies on Economical Meaning of Agricultural Mechanization. : I. On Meaning of Agricultural Machine.

In studying economical aspects of the agricultural mechanization, it has become necessary to define the economical meaning of machine or the agricultural one in the farm management. In the field of economics, the definition which was given to machine by K. Marx in Das Kapital Bd. I. has been accepted by most economists ; while a number of previous workers have expressed their opinions about the agricultural machine. Consulting these suggesive and instructive opinions, the present writer may define the meaning of the agricultural tools or implements and machines. This is of importance for the study of the agricultural mechnization in Japan. It is almost impossible for farmers, to increase their labor efficiency with mere tools or implements, though always with a horse or cattle. It is only by the use of machines that farmers can increase thier labor efficiency, because while tools or implements can only strengthen human powers, machines work essencially in place of human activities, the function of which is so greatly different from those of tools in quantity and accordingly in quality. In this sense, the agricultural innovations through the introduction of machines, will have a deep and wide influence upon not only the farm management but also upon the farming life in general.