本論文的研究主體，為台東平原的阿美族，即馬蘭社阿美族。 和以往的阿美族研究不同的是，本文的焦點，集中在歷史研究，尤其由政治經濟學的取向，探討社會文化的貫時性變遷。由此，本文試圖從歷史進程，理解馬蘭社阿美族特別的文化脈絡與社會型態。 歷經各種不同的統治政權，本文歸納出馬蘭社阿美族特殊且一貫的重農傾向，並與相鄰的「武族」卑南族有政治經濟的合作共生關係，而越接近當代，我們會看到馬蘭社阿美族受到統治政權越廣泛深入的影響，無論在經濟處境、社會結構、政治角色與文化表現上，都感受到越來越明顯的壓力。 基於以上的概念，本文論述的取向，不僅是貫時性的，也是文化的比較研究。在不同時期，找出政治環境引入的不同人群，以及經濟環境上的重要變遷，以突顯台東平原，尤其是馬蘭社原住民的文化表現，尚武的卑南與重農的阿美兩種文化傳統，進入當代國民國家的體制內，其社會文化，從諸多面向來看──包括生產方式，社會地位，政治參予，經濟權利，與精神生活，都可以發現許多值得探討其脈絡的特殊表現。 本文第一章首先揭露，有足夠證據顯示，馬蘭社具備長久歷史。其次，本文提出卑南族與阿美族在臺東平原的共生關係，這個歷史淵源，作為本文的重要主軸，在接下來的篇章，會持續提示每個時期，兩族各自表現出不同的文化調適。最後強調馬蘭社阿美族的文化特色，即在於特重農業生產的傳統。 第二章討論日本統治初期，台東平原原住民，因其社會文化更適宜統治，以致於很快就被統治者識別，採取與島內其他原住民不同的統治方式，從稅收、產權與勞役等政策上，都可以發現較短的適應期與更早的公民化，然而也在生產勞力上出現更深廣的剝削。由此接續第三章以糖業生產為中心的探討。 第三章以日本推行糖業生產，導致台東平原民族關係的改變為探討主軸。在生產勞力重整的過程中，特意引進定居人口（內地人與本島人），同時加重原住民勞力負擔，抑制原住民地權，乃至經濟建設（卑南大圳）引起的農業環境改變，凡此皆是台東平原原住民經濟生活轉變的重要關鍵。 第四章由經濟轉向政治，分析日本帝國引進的公民政治，試圖在臺東平原建立一個本島人支配內地人與原住民的階級結構，其中原住民在文化上與經濟上最居劣勢，從而影響其政治生活，幾乎難以感受原住民精英的活力，自難期待從政治參予上整體增進原住民的社會地位。 第五章進入戰後，選擇了又一個興起二十年的農產經濟──罐頭鳳梨的生產外銷。不僅要成為國家公民，國民黨政府更要求同化，在這樣的背景下，原住民勞力投入鳳梨工廠的同時，文化也面臨毀滅，年輕一代向都市移動，原有的農耕傳統、家庭組織、宗教信仰都面臨嚴峻考驗。1970年代鳳梨加工產業走向黃昏的同時，馬蘭社阿美族文化似乎也走到一個臨界點。 最後，作為民族史的政治經濟比較研究，本文強調，社會文化的完整運作，才是經濟發展的穩固基礎，政治經濟的競逐，無論如何必須避免歷史文化上的短視，甚至忽視。 / The subject of this dissertation is the Taitung Amis, who are Falangaw Amis. The focus of this study is different from previous studies, because it is concentrated on their history and their social and cultural changes. Much is due to political economics. Falangaw Amis saw various government regimes. The cultural tendencies of Falangaw Amis are consistently related to agriculture. They cooperated with Puyuma who have high regard for the military Wu Zu武族 and lived next to them, in politics and economy. More recently, Falangaw Amis are more deeply influenced by various government regimes. No matter what their economics, society, political roles, and cultural performances were, this tribe received more and more pressure about those. This dissertation not only reveals long historical changes, but also studies cultural comparisons. In different periods, the changes of economic surroundings as well as the crowds led into Taitung by various government regimes, can revive the cultural performance of Falangaw Amis. The Puyumas have high regard for the military; the Amis stress agriculture. This can be a wide area of inquiry. These all affect the production, social status, political concerns, economic rights, and cultural life of Amis. The first chapter in this dissertation reveals that we have enough evidence to show that the Falangaws had a long history. It also suggests that the Puyuma tribe and Ami tribe had a cooperative relationship in the Taitung plain. This history is the main topic in this dissertation. The following chapters will mention the different changes in the two tribes in each period. Finally, it emphasizes cultural characteristics of Falangaw Amis, especially the tradition of agriculture. The second chapter shows that in the early period of Japanese rule, the aborigines who lived in the Taitung plain were more easily ruled by Japanese. Therefore, Japan adopted different ways to govern them, from others. With tax revenue, decrease of property rights, and forced labor, all evidence shows that aborigines had little time to adapt to the new government and be citizens. However, the government exploited the aborigines considerably in production work. The following chapter will discuss the sugar production industry. The third chapter mainly treats the fact that the Japanese promoted the sugar production industry. This caused changes in ethnic relations in the Taitung plain. Under the process of organizing production labor, the government brought in some special populations, and at the same time increased the aborigines' labor burden and suppressed their property rights. Furthermore, economic development (the ditches) made the agricultural surroundings change. These are all keys that made the aborigines' economic life change considerably. The fourth chapter shows that the Japanese brought in citizen politics and attempted to establish a class system. In this system some dominated others, including the aborigines. In cultural and economic status, the aborigines were inferior. Therefore it was difficult to get enthusiasm or support from aborigine leaders. No wonder that it's difficult to improve the social status of the aborigines by political means. . The fifth chapter mainly treats in the postwar period the export trade of pineapple can production, another hot agriculture industry. KMT government made the aborigines be citizen and adaption. The aborigines worked for those pineapple factories. The young men moved to big cities for work and life. Their traditional agriculture, family organization and religion faced a baptism of fire. In 1970, when the pineapple can production was downward, Falangaw Amis seemed to be at the juncture. Finally, as a ethnic history in politic economy compared research , the dissertation stress that the social culture should works well,then the economy development would have a steady foundation. Even the politics and economy can be successful. It is very important not to be shortsighted in criticizing history and culture.