The shogunate is an absolutist regime in Japan. Tokugawa Shogunate

The shogunate is one of the important periods in the history of Japan of the Middle Ages and New Times. In the second millennium, there were several shoguns in Japan, each of which contributed to the formation of the modern Land of the Rising Sun.

The causes and spiritual basis of the Minamoto Shogunate

As you know, changes are thirsted for by a society in which there is no stability. In the last decades of the reign of the emperor, the main characteristic of political events in the country was feudal fragmentation. The lack of centralization, unity led to heavy economic consequences and frequent military riots, which only ruined an already unstable Japan. The main reasons for the change in the political structure were:

• Feudal fragmentation;
• Lack of strong economic ties between regions;
• Weakening the power of the emperor.

The first shogunate existed from 1192 to 1335. Changes in the life of the country with increasing influence of the doctrine of Zen Buddhism. This teaching gradually spread among the military circles. It is the combination of the religious basis and the military power of the samurai that led to the understanding by these circles that they should rule the country. Samurai had a significant impact on the development of Japan.

The shogunate is a period of significant changes in Japan

Until the beginning of the XIII century, the level of development of the country remained extremely low. This stagnation would continue even if there had not been a change in the thinking of some representatives of the military-feudal aristocracy who came to power at the end of the 12th century.

What changes occurred after the arrival of the shoguns? Note that life has not improved immediately, because it is simply impossible. At that time, as now, a lot depended on the activity of trade. In conditions of many islands and a small land area, successful trade could only be with a developed fleet. The most important achievement of shoguns was the development of port cities, an increase in the merchant fleet. For example, in the eleventh century there were only 40 more or less large cities, and already in the 16th century the number of cities approached 300.

The era of the shogunate is the flowering of crafts. As you know, in medieval Europe there were handicraft shops. The masters who entered the shop could work successfully. So here the associations of artisans gradually began to form. The same unions were formed among representatives of trade. Obviously, it is more reliable to work with partners, so the effect from the formation of such unions was obvious.

The unconditional achievement of the era of the first shogunate was the overcoming of feudal disunity. The main type of land ownership in the state became small samurai allotments, which they received for military service.

The reasons for the revival of the shogunate in the XVII century

The Tokugawa shogunate is a reaction of traditional Japanese society to the events that took place in the state in the middle and the second half of the 16th century. The second coming of the samurai to power had its logical reasons:

• Continuation of feudal disunity;
• The slowdown of the country's economic development;
• The emergence of European ships and the gradual development of trade with Portugal and other European countries.

The most important and painful topic for the samurai was the appearance of alien elements (Europeans) who came into contact with the centuries-old traditional society, which previously maintained close contacts with culture-like China and Korea. Historians believe that establishing contacts with Europe has become a logical push to strengthen the struggle for the creation of a centralized strong state.

Japan in the XVII-XIX centuries

The era of the shogunate is a manifestation of absolutism in Japan. Of course, do not forget about the existence of the imperial dynasty, but the power of these individuals was more spiritual than secular. The regime of the shogunate created a "closed" state. Japanese ports were forbidden to enter European ships. If suddenly such a ship got into the port, its crew was subject to execution. This isolation lasted 250 years, until the middle of the XIX century.

If we talk briefly about the Tokugawa shogunate, then this is a period of total pressure on the peasantry. Formally, there was no corvee in the state, but many peasant lands still belonged to large feudal lords. Various taxes, fees from peasants, which were introduced officially, accounted for approximately 60% of the harvest.

Estate system

The shogunate is a state system that was supposed to preserve the old traditional system. In the state, the class system was introduced. The population was divided into 4 groups: peasants, artisans, samurai, merchants. The main purpose of this division: the preservation of the existing social order at that time, when the authority of the shogun and the privileged position of the samurai should have been undeniable.

The merchant class was considered the lowest estate, but it was actually more successful than the peasantry and artisans. Cities continued to develop. At this time in Japan there were already more than 300 towns and urban-type settlements. The basis of urban development was active trade between the islands and with neighboring states (China, Korea), as well as a large number of artisanal associations.