Rank and Caste System
Up until the 1500s, Japanese society was split into two widely separated groups. There was the nobility, who had all the money and power - and the peons. By the 1550s, the peasants began to riot. Their tax burden was determined by the land they farmed, and no allowances were made for bad weather or crop problems. They had to pay 2/3rds of the "theoretical income" in taxes every year, or else. Many sold their kids into slavery or prostitution to pay their taxes.
As peace came onto the area, a new order settled into the system. Samurai were now administrators rather than military rulers and protectors. "Ikki" formed - community organizations that helped the farmers organize and make decisions. The daimyo, or regional warlords, now got a base pay from their samurai which did not tie directly to give spots of land. This meant the samurai were more autonomous and a daimyo was more of a government post than a controller of actual events in a region.
Many changes were enacted to help bring stability. Several sword hunts ensured that only those who should have weapons did have them. The Iga province - a hotbed of ninja activity - was attacked by government forces and over 4,000 ninja were killed.
Between the work of the Ikki and the desire for peace, more laws were passed to enforce social stability. The lower classes were generally very pleased with these changes. While the laws might be seen to put down the lower classes, from the peasant point of view, they actually said "if you do this, you will be safe from harm". For example, there were rules about non-nobles getting off a horse if approaching a noble who was on foot. As long as the peasant followed the rules, they knew the noble could not take action against them for disrespect.
On the downside, it is very hard for people in most modern, free societies to understand what it meant to live in a caste society. If you were born into a social group, you were stuck there for life. It governed what you could wear, where you could live, who you could talk to, who you could marry, and what you could do. The ONLY way for someone below the priest level to elevate was to become a priest.
The Castes of Feudal Japan
Eta - 'untouchables' - did tanning, butchering, handling of the dead
Ninja - spies and assassins
Yakuza - mob members, gamblers
Heimin - peasants, merchants, artists
Priests - monks and nuns of Shinto or Buddhist religions
Buke - samurai, daimyo, and other military members
Shogunate - the immediate group of the Shogun, his family and officials
Imperial Court - The emperor and families
Master List of Japanese Articles
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