World Civilization Exam I Political Economic Culture

Tokugawa
Name
Institution
Historian and scholars have had a different view of the Tokugawa period (1600-1868). The period, which was the final chapter of traditional Japan, had a time of political stability, internal peace and economic growth and shogunate ruled. Shogunate was a military dictatorship method and was founded by Tokugawa Leyasu. Some scholars and historian have described the period of Tokugawa in Japan as an era of feudal rule and oppressive. The claim is based on the hierarchical divisions between the peasant, merchant, samurai, and artisan that were maintained strictly. It was an era where the Samurai could use their swords to cut the commoners. The peasants who were miserable could barely afford to live and the merchants were described and seen as business people who were unethical profiteers. The ruling government was determined to keep the rest of the world from their business refusing the Japanese citizens the offerings of the western world. This is termed by scholars as the arrest of cultural development. Although some dismiss this aspect, the view remains pervasive. So much of the period is ignored by manga comics and films that the well-informed historians get surprised on reading the recent text about the era. The new historians leave out so much information and hence this paper is going to address the discrepancies by summarizing on political, economic, administrative, cultural and ideologies of the Tokugawa period.
Political
Tokugawa Ieyasu who came of age during an era of conflict and violence become the first Tokugawa (1542-1616). The period of Warring States political power was in the hands of an estimate of 200 local warlords as the military government and the imperial court had lost their power. The warlords had territories known as domains with some acquiring large troops of warriors. One of these warlords was Nobunaga who using military tactics controlled almost one-third of the country. After his assassination, Hedeyoshi took over and brought Japan to his control. On his death, he entrusted his son to the five allies. Among the Allies was Tokugawa Ieyasu who had a large control of the Northeastern Honshu. Tokugawa maintained political authority after defeating the Toyotomi and allies. Their authority ran for 253 years, their political goal was to cut off the rebellion and potential dissent. They expelled Catholic missionaries as they posed a political threat. They had an authoritarian political rule based on tactics of the Hide...