台灣這一個社會，從移民島嶼到納入滿清帝國的版圖，也隨著地 方仕绅力量及儒家文化的滋長而結合了民間慈善力量，使得民間社會 所提供的社會慈善機構在清朝已成爲主要的部分。地方仕绅願意爲社 會付出，提供慈善服務，乃因文化、社會、政治和經濟條件的支持， 尤其是傳统社會下「慈善性」的道德本質。雖然民間社會所推動的慈 善組織模式隨著朝代或時間而有所變化或起伏，然而這股力量確仍在 無形中凝結。社會福利事業攸關全民的福祉，以近代國家觀之，已由 「統治作用」轉向「福利功能」，但不管是統治作用或福利功能的發 揮，除了政府的決心和努力外，更必須藉助社會本身的力量，然而社 會力量從何而來？民間社會組織即是重要的支柱來源。台灣傳統慈善 的非營利組織也早已在這一塊泥土上寫著民間社會力的歷史和精神， 且其在背後隱藏著民間社會資源和國家權力的互動關係，因此探討本 土非營利組織的發展就必須以一個豐富歷史脈絡的個體來對待，尤其 民間社會的慈善組織力量，釐清其輪廓與面貌，才能針對晚近興起的 福利混合經濟國家以及社會與非營利組織之間，有更清楚的軌跡可 循。因此本研究將以此本土的社會福利機構：台北仁濟院進行歷史研 究，並且放回國家社會的發展脈絡中，去探討這股民間社會力在光復 後、解嚴前與國家權利的互動發展。

Taiwan as a society, from an immigrant island to part of the Ching Dynasty, grew with the power of noble/educated men and the Confucian culture, the combination of which increased the local charity force. Nonprofit organization (NPO) charity institutions were the main part of the charity business. The reason why noble men were willing to provide charity service was due to support from the culture, society, politics and economy, especially the moral nature of ‘charity’ in traditional society. Although the forms of non-governmental charity organizations changed throughout the dynasties, the force of charity remained strong. The social welfare business, affects all people’s happiness, and nowadays has transformed from a “ruling function” to a “welfare function” . It does not matter which function social welfare businesses serve, they require the effort and the determination from the government, as well as the social force within. But, where does the social power come from? Local non-profit organizations have been part of the important sources. The traditional NPO’s have demonstrated the history and spirit of social power, behind which there are the dynamics of state power and non-governmental social resources. This paper explores the development of an NPO in Taiwan in the facets of an historical role and the organization force as a charity institution. This paper will shed a light on the relationship between states with welfare oriented economies and states with NPO oriented societies. This study investigates the Taipei Zen-Chi institution in the perspective of how this institution affects the development of society. In addition, it further investigates the NPO welfare force and state power during the period between the ending of Japanese occupation until the ending of martial law.