HISTORY OF

MODERN JAPAN
ASSIGNMENT

Made by:-
Bhumika
R.no - 22/430
History Hons.
Section -B
 ASSIGNMENT
Examine the extent to which the Bakuhan System was responsible for the
disintegration of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

The Bakufu system was a feudal government system in Japan during the Edo
period (1603-1868). It was characterised by the dominance of the Tokugawa
shogunate, which ruled from Edo (modern-day Tokyo), over the daimyo and
the rest of the country. The system centralised political and administrative
power, with the shogunate controlling the military, economy, and overall
governance. Daimyo were required to spend every other year in Edo, which
helped to keep them under the shogunate's influence and control. The system
also included strict social hierarchies and regulations, including the isolationist
policy known as sakoku, which limited contact with foreign countries.The
Bakuhu system, also known as the Tokugawa shogunate, was a complex feudal
system that governed Japan for over 250 years.
The Bakuhan system played a significant role in the disintegration of the
Tokugawa Shogunate, although it was not the sole factor.

Several key aspects of the Bakuhan system contributed to its downfall:

1.Economic Stagnation: One of the main challenges of the Bakuhan

system was its economic policies. The Bakuhan system’s economic policies,
including the rigid class system and heavy taxation, had a stifling effect on
economic growth. The samurai class, while enjoying privileges, also imposed a
heavy burden on the economy. Additionally, the strict regulations on trade
limited commerce and innovation. This economic stagnation led to widespread
poverty and discontent, particularly among the lower classes who bore the
brunt of the economic hardships.

2.Social Inequality: The Bakuhan system’s strict social hierarchy and rigid
class system created social tensions that simmered beneath the surface. The
samurai class held significant power and privileges, while peasants and
commoners faced hardship and discrimination. This inequality fostered
resentment and dissatisfaction among those at the bottom of the social ladder,
contributing to social unrest and discontent.

3. External Pressure: The Bakuhan system’s isolationist policies, while

initially intended to protect Japan from foreign influence, left it vulnerable to
external pressures. The arrival of Western powers, particularly the United
States, exposed Japan’s technological and military inferiority. The signing of
unequal treaties, such as the Treaty of Kanagawa, forced Japan to open its
ports to foreign trade, undermining the shogunate’s authority and legitimacy.

4. Internal Conflicts: The Bakuhan system also faced internal conflicts,

particularly between the shogunate and the imperial court. The weakening of
the shogunate’s authority and the resurgence of imperial power contributed to
the shogunate’s downfall. The imperial court, which had been largely symbolic
during much of the Edo period, began to assert its authority, challenging the
shogunate’s legitimacy.

5. Ineffectiveness of Reform: Despite recognizing the need for reform,

the shogunate’s attempts at reform were largely ineffective. Reforms such as
the Tenpō Reforms and the Kyōhō Reforms were unable to address the
underlying issues facing the shogunate, such as economic stagnation and social
inequality. These failures further eroded the shogunate’s legitimacy and
contributed to its downfall.

The fall of the Tokugawa

The arrival of Americans and Europeans in the 1850s increased domestic
tensions. The bakufu, already weakened by an eroding economic base and
ossified political structure, now found itself challenged by Western powers
intent on opening Japan to trade and foreign intercourse. When the bakufu,
despite opposition from the throne in Kyōto, signed the Treaty of Kanagawa
and the Harris Treaty (1858), the shogun’s claim of loyalty to the throne and
his role as “subduer of barbarians” came to be questioned. To bolster his
position, the shogun elicited support from the daimyo through consultation,
only to discover that they were firmly xenophobic and called for the expulsion
of Westerners. The growing influence of imperial loyalism, nurtured by years of
peace and study, received support even within the shogunal camp from men
such as Tokugawa Nariaki, the lord of Mito Domain (han). Activists used the
slogan “Sonnō jōi” (“Revere the emperor! Expel the barbarians!”) not only to
support the throne but also to embarrass the bakufu. Nariaki and his followers
sought to involve the Kyōto court directly in shogunal affairs in order to
establish a nationwide program of preparedness. In this Nariaki was opposed
by the bakufu’s chief councillor (tairō), Ii Naosuke, who tried to steer the
nation toward self-strengthening and gradual opening. But Ii’s effort to restore
the bakufu was short-lived. In the spring of 1860 he was assassinated by men
from Mito and Satsuma. Ii’s death inaugurated years of violence during which
activist samurai used their swords against the hated “barbarians” and all who
consorted with them. If swords proved of little use against Western guns, they
exacted a heavy toll from political enemies. By the early 1860s the Tokugawa
bakufu found itself in a dilemma. On the one hand it had to strengthen the
country against foreigners. On the other it knew that providing the economic
means for self-defense meant giving up shogunal controls that kept competing
lords financially weak. Activist samurai, for their part, tried to push their feudal
superiors into more strongly antiforeign positions. At the same time,
antiforeign acts provoked stern countermeasures and diplomatic indemnities.
Most samurai soon realised that expelling foreigners by force was impossible.
Foreign military superiority was demonstrated conclusively with the
bombardment of Kagoshima in 1863 and Shimonoseki in 1864. Thereafter,
samurai activists used their antiforeign slogans primarily to obstruct and
embarrass the bakufu, which retained little room to manoeuvre. Domestically
it was forced to make anti foreign concessions to placate the loyalist camp,
while foreigners were assured that it remained committed to “opening the
country” and abiding by the treaties. Both sides saw it as prevaricating and
ineffectual. After the arrival of the British minister Sir Harry Parkes in 1865,
Great Britain, in particular, saw no reason to negotiate further with the bakufu
and decided to deal directly with the imperial court in Kyōto.
Samurai in several domains also revealed their dissatisfaction with the bakufu’s
management of national affairs. One domain in which the call for more direct
action emerged was Chōshū(now part of Yamaguchi prefecture), which fired
on foreign shipping in the Shimonoseki Strait in 1863. This led to bombardment
of Chōshū’s fortifications by Western ships in 1864 and a shogunal expedition
that forced the domain to resubmit to Tokugawa authority. But many of
Chōshū’s samurai refused to accept this decision, and a military coup in 1864
brought to power, as the daimyo’s counsellors, a group of men who had
originally led the radical antiforeign movement. Several of these had secretly
travelled to England and were consequently no longer blindly xenophobic.
Their aims were national—to overthrow the shogunate and create a new
government headed by the emperor. The same men organised militia units
that utilised Western training methods and arms and included non samurai
troops. Chōshū became the centre for discontented samurai from other
domains who were impatient with their leaders’ caution. In 1866 Chōshū allied
itself with neighbouring Satsuma, fearing a Tokugawa attempt to crush all
opponents to create a centralised despotism with French help.
Again shogunal armies were sent to control Chōshū in 1866. The defeat of
these troops by Chōshū forces led to further loss of power and prestige.
Meanwhile, the death of the shogun Iemochi in 1866 brought to power the last
shogun, Yoshinobu, who realised the pressing need for national unity. In 1867
he resigned his powers rather than risk a full-scale military confrontation with
Satsuma and Chōshū, doing so in the belief that he would retain an important
place in any emerging national administration. But this was not to be, the
young Meiji emperor, who succeeded to the throne in 1867, and a few court
nobles who maintained close ties with Satsuma and Chōshū, the shogun faced
the choice of giving up his lands, which would risk revolt from his vassals, or
appearing disobedient, which would justify punitive measures against him.
Yoshinobu tried to move troops against Kyōto, only to be defeated. In the
wake of this defeat, Satsuma, Chōshū, and Tosaunits, now the imperial army,
advanced on Edo, which was surrendered without battle. While sporadic
fighting continued until the summer of 1869, the Tokugawa cause was
doomed. In January 1868 the principal daimyo were summoned to Kyōto to
learn of the restoration of imperial rule. Later that year the emperor moved
into the Tokugawa castle in Edo and the city was renamed Tokyo. With the
emperor and his supporters now in control, the building of the modern state
began.

Political reform in the bakufu and the han

The Edo period in Japan, also known as the Tokugawa period, was marked by
significant political, economic, and social changes. The Tokugawa shogunate,
established by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1603, brought an end to the Sengoku
period, a time of civil unrest and warfare among feudal lords. The shogunate
centralised power in the hands of the Tokugawa family and established a
system of governance that would endure for over two and a half centuries.
One of the key political reforms of the Tokugawa shogunate was the
implementation of the bakuhan system, which divided political authority
between the bakufu and the han. The bakufu controlled the central
government from Edo, while the han were the domains ruled by daimyo. The
sankin-kotai system, mentioned earlier, was part of the bakuhan system and
served to control the daimyo by requiring them to maintain residences in Edo
and spend time there, effectively keeping them under the watchful eye of the
shogunate.In addition to these political reforms, the Edo period saw significant
economic and social changes. The period was characterised by a thriving
economy, supported by policies that promoted trade and commerce. The
growth of cities like Edo (Tokyo), Osaka, and Kyoto led to the emergence of a
merchant class known as chonin, who played a crucial role in the urban
economy.Socially, the Edo period was marked by a rigid social hierarchy, with
samurai at the top, followed by peasants, artisans, and merchants. The
shogunate implemented strict sumptuary laws that regulated the clothing and
behaviour of different social classes, reinforcing these divisions.
Despite these reforms and developments, the Edo period also had its
challenges. The strict social hierarchy and isolationist policies limited social
mobility and cultural exchange with the outside world. Additionally, economic
disparities between the ruling samurai class and the common people led to
occasional unrest and rebellions.
Overall, the political reforms of the bakufu and the han during the Edo period
played a crucial role in shaping Japan’s history and society, laying the
groundwork for the modernization and westernisation that would occur in the
Meiji period (1868-1912).

The weakening of the bakuhan system

The bakuhan system, a pivotal political framework in Japan during the Edo
period (1603-1868), represented a delicate balance of power between the
Tokugawa bakufu (shogunate) in Edo (modern-day Tokyo) and the han (feudal
domains) ruled by daimyo (feudal lords) across the country. This system, while
providing stability for over two centuries, began to exhibit signs of strain and
vulnerability as the period progressed.
One of the primary challenges to the bakuhan system stemmed from its
financial structure. The sankin-kotai system, requiring daimyo to regularly
travel between their domains and Edo, placed a significant financial burden on
these feudal lords. Maintaining lavish residences in both locations and funding
the costly journeys, especially as the distances increased over time, depleted
the resources of many daimyo, leading to financial difficulties and
indebtedness.Economic transformations also played a crucial role in
undermining the bakuhan system. The Edo period witnessed a flourishing
economy, driven in part by the growth of the merchant class and the
expansion of trade and commerce. Some daimyo, recognizing the economic
potential of these developments, shifted their focus from traditional land-
based revenues to commercial ventures, thereby altering the economic
dynamics within the feudal system and weakening its traditional
foundations.Ideological challenges further eroded the legitimacy of the
bakuhan system. Intellectual currents such as kokugaku (national learning) and
bunmei kaika (civilization and enlightenment) promoted new ideas that
questioned the existing social hierarchy and called for reforms to strengthen
Japan against perceived Western threats. These ideological currents, gaining
popularity among the intelligentsia, contributed to a growing sense of
dissatisfaction with the status.

Externally, the bakuhan system faced mounting pressure from Western powers
seeking to establish trade relations with Japan. The arrival of Commodore
Matthew Perry’s fleet in 1853 and the subsequent treaties forced Japan to
open its ports to foreign trade, exposing the weaknesses of the bakufu and the
han in dealing with external pressures. This external threat highlighted the
urgent need for reform and modernization to protect Japan’s sovereignty and
national interests.Internally, social unrest and discontent simmered beneath
the surface. The rigid social hierarchy, combined with economic disparities
between different classes, fueled occasional rebellions and uprisings. These
internal challenges further strained the bakuhan system’s ability to maintain
stability and order, signalling its impending collapse.In conclusion, the
weakening of the bakuhan system was a multifaceted process driven by
financial strains, economic transformations, ideological challenges, external
pressures, and internal unrest. These factors, culminating in the collapse of the
Tokugawa shogunate and the subsequent Meiji Restoration in 1868, marked
the end of the bakuhan system and the beginning of a new era of reform and
modernization in Japan.

CONCLUSION:-
The Bakuhan system, which characterised the Tokugawa Shogunate's rule in
Japan from 1603 to 1868, was a complex political, social, and economic system
that played a significant role in the eventual disintegration of the shogunate.
While the Bakuhan system provided stability and centralised control over
Japan for much of the Edo period, several key factors contributed to its
downfall.
Economically, the rigid class system and heavy taxation stifled economic
growth and innovation, leading to widespread poverty and discontent. Socially,
the strict social hierarchy created inequalities and fostered resentment among
the lower classes. Politically, the shogunate's isolationist policies left Japan
vulnerable to external pressures and internal conflicts, weakening its authority
and legitimacy.
Despite recognizing the need for reform, the shogunate's attempts at reform
were largely ineffective, further eroding its legitimacy. The combination of
these factors, along with external pressures and internal conflicts, contributed
to the disintegration of the Tokugawa Shogunate.
In conclusion, while the Bakuhan system was not the sole cause of the
shogunate's disintegration, it was a significant factor. Its economic, social, and
political shortcomings, combined with external pressures and internal conflicts,
created a climate of unrest and dissatisfaction that ultimately led to the
downfall of the shogunate and the beginning of the Meiji Restoration.