Transcript Japanese Vs. European Feudalism

Japanese Vs. European
Feudalism
Big Picture / Historical Context
GENERAL EXPLANATION
FOR FEUDALISM TO
DEVELOP
• Weak forms of
governments resulted
from…
– Lack of resources
– Shared political ideas and
experiences
– Common cultural values
GENERAL SIMILARITIES
BETWEEN JAPANESE
AND EUROPEAN
• Characteristics of both
– Highly militaristic
– Shared set of political ideas
– Virtues = courage,
alliances, ritualized
combat, and class
superiority
Time Periods
EUROPE
(400 – 1500 CE)
• Early Middle Ages
(400 - 1000 CE)
• High Middle Ages
(1000-1200)
• Late Middle Ages
(1200 – 1500)
JAPAN
(794-1853)
• Heian Period
(794-1185)
• Kamakura Shogunate
(1185 to 1333)
• Tokogawa Shogunate
(1603 – 1868)
POLITICAL
FORM OF STATE
• Decentralized
“feudalistic”
relationship
(vassalage & fiefdom)
• Holy Roman Empire
• Hereditary Vassalage
FORM OF STATE
• Somewhat
decentralized -Bakufu government
headed by Shogun
(w/ Vassalage &
fiefdom)
• Shogunate
• Hereditary Vassalage
POLITICAL (CONT)
EUROPE
•
•
•
•
HIERARCHY
Kings
Lords
Knights
Peasants
JAPAN
•
•
•
•
•
•
HIERARCHY
Shogun (military dictator)
Daimyo (lords)
Samurai (~ %7 of pop.)
Ronin
Farmers
Merchants & Craftsmen
(except sword makers)
ECONOMIC
EUROPE
JAPAN
FORM OF ECONOMY
• Barter economy w/
• Agricultural Base
FORM OF ECONOMY
• Barter economy w/
• Agricultural Base
INFRASTRUCTURE
• Little infrastructure, poor
roads; “local” focus due to
unsafe roads, etc.
INFRASTRUCTURE
• Excellent infrastructure
(esp. roads) but
prohibited to use wheeled
vehicles
ECONOMIC
EUROPE
TRADE & CRAFTSMANSHIP
• Some widespread trade
goods, e.g. Wool from
Flanders
WEALTH
• Wealth measured in land
• Land distributed to vassals by
lords or kings
CITIES
• Independent Italian city-states
JAPAN
TRADE & CRAFTSMANSHIP
• Little trade; Sword masters
highly valued
WEALTH
• Wealth measured in “Koku”
(rice to feed one person one
year)
• Shogun distributed Koku, took
20%
CITIES
• Few major cities, e.g.
Nagasaki
RELIGIOUS
EUROPE
•
•
•
•
EXCLUSIVE
Christianity with
Paganism among
peasants
Judaism – minority
religion
Schismatics & Church
Reform (e.g. Clunaic
reforms)
CHIVALRY (Key)
JAPAN
SYNCRETIC
• Shintoism – animistic
religion of state (also
Totemistic) ;Emperor as
descendant of Sun
Goddess
• Zen Buddhism – ideas
about the “void”, illusory
nature of existence
• BUSHIDO (Key)
MILITARY
EUROPE
JAPAN
• Knighthood: focus on
cavalry
• Vassals sent sons to
be trained as knights
• Metallurgy relatively
unsophisticated
Samurai Warriors –
allowed katana
• Kashin (vassals)
provided samurai for
• daimyos (overlords)
• Advanced metallurgy,
esp. swords
Gothic Armor
SOCIAL
EUROPE
ETHICAL SYSTEMS
• Chivalry: Code of
behavior for nobles
• (see Religion) Christianity
SOCIAL HIERARCHY
• Serfdom
• Little – no upward
mobility
JAPAN
ETHICAL SYSTEMS
• Bushido (after 1600)
• (see Religion)
Confucianism, Zen
Buddhism, Shintoism
SOCIAL HIERARCHY
• Caste system- Eta as
outcastes
• Serfdom
• No upward mobility
SOCIAL
EUROPE
JAPAN
LAW
• Three legal systems: Dane
law, Roman Law, Canon Law
• Different legal rights for
different classes (Dane Law)
LAW
• Single legal system based on
judgment of Shogun,
Confucian ideals, and Zen
Buddhism
LANGUAGE
• Language: Latin (academic
and church), vernacular
(Germanic, Slavic, Romantic)
LANGUAGE
• Single language.
Development of Japanese
script from Chinese characters
SOCIAL
EUROPE
DIET
• Mostly Vegetarian
(not by choice or
religion), meat for
wealthy or special
occasions
JAPAN
DIET
• Mostly Vegetarian
(Buddhist influences)
w/ fish. Meat for eta
caste only.
EFFECTS AND LEGACIES
SIMILARITIES
• Military Aura
• Economic Success =
laid groundwork for
early industrialization
DIFFERENCES
• Contractual Loyalty
(Europe) vs.
Collective or State
Loyalty (Japan)