Tokugawa Shogunate Economy In Japan

The primary beneficiaries of the emerging money economy were the merchants. Daimyo and samurai traded their rice for money with the merchants who soon became very rich. Merchants, cashing in on daimyo debt attained positions of authority within the daimyo households. Many were living lavish lifestyles only dreamt of by samurai. This caused resentment in Japanese society because, although they were socially inferior, merchants enjoyed an elevated status economically (Kunihiko 1997). Perhaps the social class that suffered the most indignities was the samurai who, lacking the means to earn a living on their regular income, indulged in the lifestyle of Edo. Many had to resort to engaging in handicraft for income vice training at the martial arts thus leading to inherent corruption (Nobumitsu 1997).

3. What was the nature of Japanese society and economy during the period of the daimyos?

For one, 90% of Japan's population, peasants, (as said in Document 4) were controlled and kept poor by their daimyo lord, even in times of economic growth. When the daimyo had complete control of their land, they could tax their vassals. As stated in the Feudalism powerpoint, ⅔ of peasants' crops were taxed, so they often starved. Even though, innovations in irrigation allowed more to be grown and sold, an economy can never go up if 90% of the population is dirt poor.

Even though the Japanese political structure changed with new leaders and weakens the government, the military improved greatly and transformed from a military to a civil society, which provided more protection and centralization. Also, the development of transportation and commerce increased, however, the patterns of population growth in central Japan put a limit on the agricultural economy, yet in the outer provinces, economic growth out grew the population. Also, the Tokugawa system made the samurai and lords dependent on the merchants to give them credit which resulted to the Confucian idea that agriculture should be the foundation of the state and that merchants should have a low social position, but the decentralized political system made it harder for the shogunate to control merchant activities so from 1600 through out 1700, the economy grew faster than the population and the merchants developed more freedom. Even though the Jesuits came in the late 1500s, in 1649 the Tokugawa Shogunate banned Christianity and closed the country. The closed policy was to prevent the spread of other influence but not to eliminate the knowledge of other

After centuries of living in seclusion to the outside world, the government knew that they needed the technological advancements that the West offered. The Industrial Revolution and growing urbanisation in Japan had intended to and succeeded in mimicking Western growth. Moreover, the Japanese were well-known for their diligence, discipline, perseverance, and hard work – this resulted in substantial economic development including increased shipping of commodities and a significant expansion of trade and handicraft industries. However, the political elite pocketed most of the profits through influence and corruption. Workers and farmers found it unfair that their patriotic and back-breaking labour only received a little wage in comparison, but with a state-controlled media and education system, they couldn’t make their voices heard. So overall, this collective and nationalistic open-mindedness for communal prosperity was beneficial for Japan as a whole, but the common people were disadvantaged with no access to basic human rights and a fair

Feudal Japan had eight social classes. Peasants, artisans, and merchants made up 90 percent of Japan’s pouplationship. Artisans made equipments, tools and weapons. Merchants sold goods and produce. Peasants were farmers and fishers who gave most of their produce to daimyo and the shogun in exchange for the right to live on the land.

In “Wells Fargo Pays $1 Billion to Federal Regulators” article, the author wanted to tell that the bank Wells Fargo forced to the customers to pay the mortgage interest and they also forced customers to buy the unnecessary auto insurance policy. Moreover, Wells Fargo also creates fake accounts in customers’ name. For these several unlawful acts, this bank has been charged multiple times by Federal Regulators. There are 100 open investigations under this bank name.

The government than also led in the way of building railways and shipping lines, telegraphs and telephone systems, three shipyards, ten mines, fifty-three consumer industries. The Meiji Government opened their borders, allowing japan to improve their basic infrastructure, improving communication and to be able to travel from city to city easier. The markets were often based on main roads/path ways, rivers and special temples so that the local sellers are able to easily bring their items to the markets, according to (The Program for Teaching East Asia 2008). In doing this Japan was able to become more richer and Emperor Meiji was able to turn Japan into a modern world power as we see it

With the change of government in Japan, economic change soon followed. Banks were founded to invest in capital, railways and steam boats were developed, restrictions on trade such as tariffs and guilds were removed, and land was re-distributed. These reforms helped spur the Industrial

Ninety per cent of the Japan’s population was made up of the Peasant class. They worked as farmers in the agricultural estates of the Daimyos and kept a part of the whole production that come up. In that way, they met their personal needs.

With the growing underemployment of the classes came opportunity for ambitious men to carve out a place in the changing japanese capitalist economy. Many thronged to the big cities in search of wealth, and in turn, cities grew exponentially. Castle towns turned into bustling trade communities and roads leading into some of the major cities needed to cater to the needs of the traveling men. These

The Japanese scholars were sent to study abroad and observe the Western sciences and languages to transform the Tokugawa Japanese agrarian economy. The introduction of Western technologies and ideas advanced the Japanese economy. The development of infrastructures such as railroads and telegraphs allowed Japan to develop new industries. Transportation and communication networks were advanced from large governmental investments. The government supported the growing businesses and

The 1868 Meiji Restoration ensued the state-led industrialization of Japan, adopting western practices to be comparable to other industrialized nations. Included in this endeavor was the adoption of imperialism in 1894, embarking on the aggressive expansion into Asian territories. Ultimately, the Japanese’s expansionist policies resulted in a series of Sino-Japanese wars that fostered war crimes against the Chinese and occupied territories. Many of these crimes involved forcing women into becoming “comfort women” for Japanese soldiers and the Nanking Massacre, where Japanese troops murdered upwards of 300,000 residents and raped the women of Nanking, China. Yet, although international tribunals implicated Japanese military leaders after World War II for their wartime atrocities, the United States occupation authorities soon released them to aid in the democratization of Japan. As many of these military leaders passed away, Japanese officials placed their remains at the Yasukuni Shrine. Consequently, a visit from prime ministers to the Yasukuni Shrine sparks outrage among the Asian governments hurt by the war criminals, as they believe the Japanese government should not honor the men who committed war crimes. Yet, despite the outrage from other Asian governments, the Japanese government refuses to change, displaying little remorse for their previous actions. Therefore, issues of historical memory are a recurring issue in Japan’s domestic and international politics

In 1945, Japan was devastated and lost a quarter of the national wealth after suffering a defect in the second world war. A majority of the commercial buildings and accommodation had been demolished, and massive machinery and equipment formerly used in production for the civil market were out of service to provide metal for military supplies (Miyazaki 1967). Despite the trash and ruins had left over in Japan, Japan was able to rebuilding its infrastructure and reconstruct their economy. It is revealed that the Japanese economy was on its way to recovery, which received a rapid development since the war, and the reconstruction of Japan had spent less than forty years to become the world’s second largest economy in the 1980s. This essay will explore the three factors account for the economic growth of post-war Japan: the financial assistance from the United States, the external environment, and the effective policy of Japanese government.

In 1868, provincial rebels overthrew the Tokugawa Shogunate in Japan and the new leaders called the regime the “Meiji Restoration.” This was just the beginning for soon-to-be modernized Japan. A stronger military, new ideas, technology, and laws would be all used to transform Japan into a modern industrial nation. Because of these, modernization had a great effects on Japan’s society and the nation as a whole from 1850 to 1950. One effect modernization had was strengthening international presence and relations for Japan as a whole. This helped to keep them active on global terms and impacted them in a positive manner. Another effect modernization resulted in was the transformation of the internal society of Japan. The changes in the society all provided great benefits for Japan.