Why did the Tokugawa Shoguns Revive the Feudal System?
What is the Feudal System? >
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During the Tokugawa Era, Japan was a feudal society. Strict rules governed each class. Membership in each class was hereditary and you could not move up classes. Punishments for disobeying the rules were very harsh. An example of a strict rule is that there used to be dress codes that applied to everyone from the emperor right down to the peasants. The most powerful positions in society were the Emperor, Shogun, Daimyo and Samurai. They made up only 10% of the population, while about 90% were peasants and below. The Emperor was the supreme ruler but was more of a puppet figure with little political power.The Shogun was the military leader and the most important figure in the Japanese Hierarchy. The Daimyo served the Shogun and was in charge of the Samurai (Japanese Warriors). Ronins were Samurai warriors, whose Daimyo had died or who had been expelled. Peasants were farmers and fisherman. They produced food so were regarded as higher than the Artisans, who were workers that were skilled in a trade. The lowest class in medieval Japan was the Merchants, who traded goods and were shop-keepers.
The Tokugawa shogunate was a feudal military dictatorship in Japan that lasted for almost 300 years (1603-868). The period in Japanese history, in which the Tokugawa shogunate held power, is called the Edo Period. The family ruled from Edo Castle and based it' s power on a very rigid social hierarchy with minimal mobility between classes. Land was controlled by daimyo, who were powerful warlords and the most powerful rulers under the shogun. The daimyo were the most dangerous enemies that would threaten the Tokugawa regime. Daimyo were men with power and capability (They controlled 75% of the land.) so different means were used to keep them under control. The Tokugawa shoguns had ultimate power over land and controlled the most prosperous region of Japan (the Kantoplain). The daimyo families had to spend every alternate year with the shogun in Edo. They could not marry without the shogun's approval. They could not build new castles and any repairs had to be approved by the shogun. They were only allowed a certain number of samurai. Movements of daimyo were restricted as travel was only allowed along certain pathways. Daimyo were expected to have absolute loyalty to the Tokugawa shogunate and could be severely punished if they were suspected of plotting against the military government. The primary goal of the Tokugawa shogunate was to prevent a potential rebellion. This is one of the reasons why they revived feudalism and encouraged daimyo to be dependant on them as many of the daimyo were not totally committed to Tokugawa rule. A quote from "Tokyo" by Donald Richie is "The Tokugawa state was a military hegemony, the longest lived the world has ever known." Under the rule of the Tokugawa Shoguns, Japan underwent a period of huge changes, including economic, social and cultural changes. It set the stage for the modernisation that followed in the Meiji period. Japan also enjoyed a 250 year period of peace and order.During the Tokugawa period the social order was officially frozen and movement between the classes was prohibited.The Tokugawa were concerned about foreign ideas and military intervention.They excluded missionaries from the country and banned Christianity.The dominant faith was confucianism, a conservative religion with a focus on loyalty and duty.The Tokugawa shogunate adopted a policy of national seclusion where the Japanese were forbidden to travel abroad or return from overseas and foreign contact was extremely limited.(Japan was effectively cut off from Western nations for 200 years after 1836). The Japanese economy grew significantly during the Tokugawa period. Agricultural production was expanded which in turn led to a growth in trade and a growth in the use of money. Ieyasu and his successors worked to standardise the currency. The road system was expanded and improved and shipping networks expanded. Large urban centres developed in Edo, Osaka, and Kyoto. The production of fine silk and cotton fabrics, manufacture of paper and porcelain, and sake brewing flourished.Economic growth led to the development of a wealthy merchant class. The rising middle classes had time and opportunity to pursue theatre, art and literature. This led to the flourishing of art and culture. The population of Edo grew from 150 000 people in 1610 to more than 1 million in 1720. While the merchants prospered, the Samurai suffered from the increase in trade and urbanisation( as they were forbidden from engaging in profitable trade or farming).Hence, economic growth contributed to the inversion of the status hierarchy.This together with the threat of Western encroachment, led many to demand the restoration of direct imperial rule to unify the country and solve the problems. The Tokugawa period was the final era of traditional Japanese government, culture and society. The Meiji Restoration spelled the end for feudalism in Japan and the beginning of modern Japanese politics, culture and society. Below is an image of Feudal Japan's social Hierarchy from the medieval period. There were 8 different classes that people could be classified as during the Tokugawa Period. These classes were the emperor, the shogun, the daimyos, the samurai, the ronin, the peasants, the artisans and the merchants. The Emperor was the figurehead, the shogun was the political leader, the daimyos were nobles, the samurai were warriors, the ronin were paid soldiers, the peasants were farmers and fishermen, the artisans were crafts people and the merchants were sales people.
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