Early Japanese Government
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1. The structure of the Yamato state was based on the subjugation of the uji (patriarchal chiefs), which allowed the imperial family "to extend its control over the rest of the populace, because the be [functional communities] under the authority of the uji fell indirectly under imperial control. These institutions remained in existence until the Taika Reforms" (Hane 17). The Taika Reforms were codified by the Taiho Code in 702, which was a "compendium of penal laws and administrative practices" (Hane 31). The Reforms were political, social, and economic, meant to correct injustices established by the Soga family during the early Yamato period. As with many family-centered states, Japan under the Sogas was run more and more arbitrarily. When the Sogas were thrown out, the reformers reorganized the central government to make it more efficient and also to guard against the kind of consolidated power the Sogas had gather unto themselves. For example, The provincial governors were given the power to levy taxes, but initially they did not have judicial authority. This remained in the hands of the county heads. the people, however, had the right to appeal the decisions of the county heads to the central government. . . . The be . . . were abolished . . . to undercut the strength of the major clans (Hane 32). In the subsequent Heian Period, the Reforms' effects deteriorated, imperial authority fell, the Fujiwara family rose to power, along with the court aristocracy and the mili
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cesses, and which was a place of traditional political power, thereby legitimizing their control (Pyle 8).
In part, their success in unifying Japan at the end of the Warring States Period "was the result of brilliant military strategy. No less important . . . was their demonstrated mastery of two of the main sources of feudal power that had to be controlled and exploited: land and peasants" (Pyle 8).
Oda was the first leader of the unification process, followed by Hideyoshi after Oda's death. Hideyoshi instituted a land resurvey in order to exert his power over the peasants, using more effective land taxation and crop productivity in the countryside.
The military power of the leaders was consolidated as well, through a program which disarmed the non-samurai population. Also, the activities of the samurai were limited, preventing a threat from that warrior class.
4. The Tokugawa order was marked first and foremost by the establishment of a stable political and socioeconomic system. The Warring States Period was left far behind by an order that lasted until the latter half of the nineteenth century. Ironically, the economic changes which were instituted to give stability to Japan eventually were the cause of the underminin
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1510
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)
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