02 How are societies governed? Case Study: Japan
During this unit we will study the following content:
During this unit we will practice the following skills:
- Different systems of government and the arguments for and against them.
- The political spectrum and the difference between leftwing, centrist and right wing views.
- How the methods in which Japan has been governed has changed throughout history.
During this unit we will practice the following skills:
- OPVL source analysis.
- Cornell note-taking and writing analytical questions and responses.
- Comparative writing.
Left wing vs. Right wing
Systems of Government
Student Assessments
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How was early Japan governed?
Feudal Japan
Feudalism began over time during the Heian Period (794-1185). Social classes were clearly defined and all had certain rights and duties. When the Fujiwara’s failed to control all of Japan the country broke into many small states that were led by a feudal lord, or daimyo (also called a land baron). The region each daimyo ruled was called a fief, or fiefdom. Each one employed an army of professional soldiers (eventually becoming the samurai) and were expected to be completely loyal to him. The emperor was the recognized head of Japan, but who had the power? The time of feudalism in Japan was rife with conflict between the competing daimyo. Eventually Japan suffered through the warring states period.
Peasants were tied to the farmland and worked for protection plus a portion of the harvest, rather than for money. Warriors dominated the society, but were expected to follow codes of obedience and ethics known as bushido. There was no strong central government; instead, lords of smaller units of land controlled the warriors and peasants, but these lords owed (at least theoretical) obedience to a distant and relatively weak duke, king or emperor. The Tokugawa's eventually controlled the daimyo with strict rules and regulations.
Peasants were tied to the farmland and worked for protection plus a portion of the harvest, rather than for money. Warriors dominated the society, but were expected to follow codes of obedience and ethics known as bushido. There was no strong central government; instead, lords of smaller units of land controlled the warriors and peasants, but these lords owed (at least theoretical) obedience to a distant and relatively weak duke, king or emperor. The Tokugawa's eventually controlled the daimyo with strict rules and regulations.
Feudal Japan vs. Feudal Europe
Source Analysis: OPVL
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Social Structure in Feudal Japan
The Emperor
The emperor was really just a figurehead, representing “the gods” as a descendant of Amaterasu, so he had large symbolic religious influential figure to the Japanese people. The emperor and family were royalty.
The Shogun
The shogun was a military leader who had the real power, which is interesting due to also being appointed by the emperor. The shogun was part of a noble class and the position was hereditary (the position was usually passed on from father to son). Sometimes the shogun's family would become weak, and a rebel leader would seize power from them, after which he would be named shogun and would start a new ruling family.
The Daimyo
They were wealthy landowners who had private armies, and had to report to the shogun. Their loyalty was with the shogun, though during the Warring States Period nobody was in control. They were ‘warlords’ fighting for power. The daimyo were also nobility and didn’t pay taxes. The power of the daimyo depended on how many samurai they employed and the domain's kokudaka (taxes collected based upon rice production). Castle towns grew around the lands owned by the daimyo.
The Samurai
Feudal Japanese society was dominated by the samurai warrior class. Although they made up less than 10% of the population, samurai and their daimyo lords wielded enormous power. They placed great importance on the military virtues of bravery, honor, self-discipline, and the stoical acceptance of death. Seppuku, ritual suicide by disembowelment, became the dominant alternative to dishonor or capture. Any form of disgrace — cowardice, dishonor, defeat — reflected poorly on the lord and was reason enough for a bushi to commit suicide. When a samurai passed on the street, members of the lower classes were required to bow and show respect. If a farmer or artisan refused to bow, the samurai was legally entitled to chop off the recalcitrant person's head. Samurai answered only to the daimyo for whom they worked. The daimyo, in turn, answered only to the shogun. There were about 260 daimyo by the end of the feudal era. Each daimyo controlled a broad area of land, and had an army of samurai. Samurai and ronin were also considered nobility, though ronin had less ‘status’ since they were ‘masterless’. (ronin were paid soldiers)
Peasants -Farmers and fishermen. Just below the samurai on the social ladder were the farmers and fishermen. As a social class they were peasants, making up 90% of the population. According to Confucian ideals, farmers were superior to artisans and merchants because they produced the food that all the other classes depended upon. Peasants were tied to the farmland and worked for protection plus a portion of the harvest, rather than for money. Although technically they were considered an honored class, the farmers lived under a crushing tax burden for much of the feudal era. Many seldom ate rice. During the reign of the third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu, farmers were not allowed to eat any of the rice they grew. They had to hand it all over to their daimyo, and then wait for him to give some back as charity.
Artisans. Although artisans produced many beautiful and necessary goods, such as clothes, cooking utensils, and woodblock prints, they were considered less important than the farmers. Even skilled samurai sword makers and boatwrights belonged to this third tier of society in feudal Japan. The artisan class lived in its own section of the major cities, segregated from the samurai (who usually lived in the daimyos' castles), and from the lower merchant class.
Merchants. The bottom rung of feudal Japanese society was occupied by merchants, both traveling traders and shopkeepers. Merchants were ostracized as "parasites" who profited from the labor of the more productive peasant and artisan classes. Not only did merchants live in a separate section of each city, but the higher classes were forbidden to mix with them except on business. Nonetheless, many merchant families were able to amass large fortunes. As their economic power grew, so did their political influence, and the restrictions against them weakened.
Untouchables (also known as ‘burakumin’ or ‘eta’, both derogatory words)
They worked in jobs that nobody wanted to do. They had jobs such as executioners, butchers, tanners, and cemetery workers - jobs connected to impurity and death.
The emperor was really just a figurehead, representing “the gods” as a descendant of Amaterasu, so he had large symbolic religious influential figure to the Japanese people. The emperor and family were royalty.
The Shogun
The shogun was a military leader who had the real power, which is interesting due to also being appointed by the emperor. The shogun was part of a noble class and the position was hereditary (the position was usually passed on from father to son). Sometimes the shogun's family would become weak, and a rebel leader would seize power from them, after which he would be named shogun and would start a new ruling family.
The Daimyo
They were wealthy landowners who had private armies, and had to report to the shogun. Their loyalty was with the shogun, though during the Warring States Period nobody was in control. They were ‘warlords’ fighting for power. The daimyo were also nobility and didn’t pay taxes. The power of the daimyo depended on how many samurai they employed and the domain's kokudaka (taxes collected based upon rice production). Castle towns grew around the lands owned by the daimyo.
The Samurai
Feudal Japanese society was dominated by the samurai warrior class. Although they made up less than 10% of the population, samurai and their daimyo lords wielded enormous power. They placed great importance on the military virtues of bravery, honor, self-discipline, and the stoical acceptance of death. Seppuku, ritual suicide by disembowelment, became the dominant alternative to dishonor or capture. Any form of disgrace — cowardice, dishonor, defeat — reflected poorly on the lord and was reason enough for a bushi to commit suicide. When a samurai passed on the street, members of the lower classes were required to bow and show respect. If a farmer or artisan refused to bow, the samurai was legally entitled to chop off the recalcitrant person's head. Samurai answered only to the daimyo for whom they worked. The daimyo, in turn, answered only to the shogun. There were about 260 daimyo by the end of the feudal era. Each daimyo controlled a broad area of land, and had an army of samurai. Samurai and ronin were also considered nobility, though ronin had less ‘status’ since they were ‘masterless’. (ronin were paid soldiers)
Peasants -Farmers and fishermen. Just below the samurai on the social ladder were the farmers and fishermen. As a social class they were peasants, making up 90% of the population. According to Confucian ideals, farmers were superior to artisans and merchants because they produced the food that all the other classes depended upon. Peasants were tied to the farmland and worked for protection plus a portion of the harvest, rather than for money. Although technically they were considered an honored class, the farmers lived under a crushing tax burden for much of the feudal era. Many seldom ate rice. During the reign of the third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu, farmers were not allowed to eat any of the rice they grew. They had to hand it all over to their daimyo, and then wait for him to give some back as charity.
Artisans. Although artisans produced many beautiful and necessary goods, such as clothes, cooking utensils, and woodblock prints, they were considered less important than the farmers. Even skilled samurai sword makers and boatwrights belonged to this third tier of society in feudal Japan. The artisan class lived in its own section of the major cities, segregated from the samurai (who usually lived in the daimyos' castles), and from the lower merchant class.
Merchants. The bottom rung of feudal Japanese society was occupied by merchants, both traveling traders and shopkeepers. Merchants were ostracized as "parasites" who profited from the labor of the more productive peasant and artisan classes. Not only did merchants live in a separate section of each city, but the higher classes were forbidden to mix with them except on business. Nonetheless, many merchant families were able to amass large fortunes. As their economic power grew, so did their political influence, and the restrictions against them weakened.
Untouchables (also known as ‘burakumin’ or ‘eta’, both derogatory words)
They worked in jobs that nobody wanted to do. They had jobs such as executioners, butchers, tanners, and cemetery workers - jobs connected to impurity and death.
The Monarchy of Japan |
The Monarchy of the U.K |
How are laws passed and made in Japan?
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How are laws passed and made in the USA? |
Capitalism and Socialism
In industrialized countries during the 19th century, a wide gap opened up between the rich and the poor. Business leaders believed that governments should stay out of business and economic affairs. They favoured a free market system and were known as “capitalists”. Reformers, however felt that governments needed to play an active role to improve conditions for the poor and were known as “socialists”.