The history of the world economy - Polyak GB

18.3. Japan's economy in an era of mature feudalism (XII-XV centuries.)

Changing the agrarian structure of the country

XII century. Japan was marked by the confrontation between the two aristocratic families - the Minamoto and Taira. At the end of the century due to the strong army of samurai Minamoto defeated. The reasons for this were economic superiority: each of the feudal samurai Minamoto bestowed put on high-income and because the samurai fight for their masters until the end.

Minamoto victory in 1192 was marked by the nomination of representatives of their kind on the post of the supreme military commander - Shogun. Since that time, the title of "Shogun" meant military-feudal rulers of Japan. Bet the shogun called "bakufu", as began to be called and the government.

The first activities of the new government were of an economic nature (the new government confiscated the land of his rivals and opponents and as PARTICULAR possessions handed them their samurai) and significantly changed the agrarian structure of the country: the main form of farming was small samurai farming, although preserved and large estates, especially the genus Minamoto, the emperor, his family and several other aristocratic houses, Minamoto vassals.

The development of crafts and trade

Shogunate Minamoto was a time of development of crafts and trade, the emergence of Japan's major cities. If in the XIV century. there were 40 cities in Japan, in the XV century. - 85, then in XVI. - Already 269.

With the city to create a corporate association of artisans and merchants. The country is developing the domestic market. The development of crafts contributed to the increase in interest rates, which had a large number of craftsmen serving the nobility and their servants. The growth of Buddhist monasteries and temples accompanied by an increase of pilgrims, which also served the merchants and artisans, specializing mainly in the production of religious goods.

Gunsmiths at work

Gunsmiths at work

Intensively developed foreign trade, particularly with China and Korea.

In XIII-XV centuries. there is ongoing growth of the productive forces. In the village there and spread metal farm implements, plow cattle are widely used by water mills irrigated land. Increased crop yields from fields is going on two crops a year. It is increasing the living standards of the peasantry and the enhanced activity of emerging from its medium traders.

Commodity economy develops, destroying the autarkic economy of closed estates, and expand the boundaries of economic regions.

Trade with China brought to Japan a bronze coin, which contributed to the further development of trade. Chinese coins at this time were the international currency in trade throughout East Asia, Indochina and the South Seas, the use and development of general circulation of money contributed to an increase in Japan's copper mining, gold and silver.

From Japan at this time in China were exported, except for copper, guns, fans, sulfur, and in Japan from China drove porcelain, books, medicines, raw silk. Trading with China was beneficial and honorable, because in the XV century. it was the most powerful nation in Asia.
The development of the agricultural sector

Development of agriculture is promoted not only the growth of the productive forces, but also such factors as the increased amount of cultivated land, obtaining lands recent Samurai warriors, the increase in the number of varieties sown crops, spread to other areas of culture, which previously were cultivated only in the south (eg, cotton ).

Furthermore, XIV-XV cc. increased interest of farmers on their farms, because they were mitigated duties: first they gave feudal 1/2 harvest, now this rate decreased to 2/5.

Under the rule of feudal lords concentrated more and more land, they also controlled the town and the trade.

The internecine struggle

As a result of long internecine struggle came to power Hojo Ashikaga, who in 1335 proclaimed himself Shogun and whose descendants ruled Japan until 1573 during their rule in the XV century. burst into a real civil war, which resulted in Shoguns power has been virtually eliminated, has become the face, and the country disintegrated into pieces. In the middle of the XVI century. Japan actually was not shoguns, or emperor.

Combining the country associated with the names of Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hidёsi, Tokugawa Izyasu. Consistently pursuing a policy of unification of the country and successfully won many lords, Oda ran into strong opposition to his policy of unifying Buddhist monasteries, which determined its position in relation to Christianity.

Centralization of power

The consequence of this perspective was the rapid growth of Christians. By the beginning of the XVII century. there were over 700 thousand. Oda held a series of reforms aimed at the elimination of the political and economic fragmentation, urban development and trade under the control of the central government.

After Oda murder in 1582 of its policy of continued Toyotomi Hidёsi, completed the unification of the country. His reforms have played a positive role in economic development. He strengthened centralized power, control of cities and trade, and in order to consolidate the land agrarian reform began for peasants.

In 1598, after the death of Toyotomi power passed to the Tokugawa Izyasu, in 1603 proclaimed himself Shogun. Tokugawa shogunate lasted until 1867 it carried out the reform were to ensure the recognition of the country's authorities of the shogunate. In support of such recognition Tokugawa introduced a procedure which has received the name of hostages in the literature: every second year with a feudal family, servants and warriors had to live in a special residence palace, which served to strengthen the central government. In addition, in order to prevent the unification of hostile feudal center they were settled and geographically distant from each other. and other measures were taken to undermine the power of the princes-daimyo. At the same time, these princes retained within its possession some of the traditional law courts, administrative authorities.

In 1626, the Japanese shogun introduced uniform bronze coins. The inscription on them says: "Noble eternal coins."

sonnet shogun

sonnet shogun

Reforms in the agricultural sector further consolidated the peasants for their land. Tokugawa established the country's system of police surveillance and isolated Japan from the outside world. Of course, the complete isolation was not, it was not economically beneficial: contacts were controlled. The central government has encouraged, for example, contacts with the Dutch, whose science was actively used in Japan for economic development. Yet isolation, though incomplete, could not contribute to prosperity. Strengthening stability in the country in the XVII century. a positive impact on its economy, but in the XVIII century. the economic crisis.

Review Questions

1. What were the causes of Japan's more recent development in comparison with neighboring countries?

2. Tell us about the features feudalization Japan in IX-XII centuries.

3.Obyasnite term "samurai" and their role in the creation of a feudal society.

4. Select the main specific features of the medieval Japanese economy.