Japanese History

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how the Tokugawa era can be seen as a transition period in Japanese history when economic and market development contributed to the transformation of a feudal society to one based on capitalism and market economies. The paper examines the extent of the economic changes that occurred in both the urban centers of Tokugawa Japan as well as the rural Tokugawa Japan. The paper concludes with a discussion of how these economic changes manifested themselves in ultimate social change.

Outline:
Introduction
Urban Tokugawa Japan
Rural Tokugawa Japan
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The Tokugawa period in Japanese history (1600-1868) remains one of the most transformative eras in the society's history (Platt 965). At the start of the period, feudalism still dominated most aspects of Japanese culture. Caste distinctions were rigid and the social status that was afforded through this system of rough feudalism provided the primary principle of social organization. Unlike the Western colonial powers that began to interact with Japan during the Tokugawa period, there had been no middle class revolution of intellectuals and artisans to dismantle the old feudal system, as had already happened in most of Europe."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Duiker, William J. and Spielvogel, Jackson J. World History Volume I: To 1800. 2nd ed. London: Wadsworth Publishing Co., 1998.
• Griswold, Susan. "The Triumph of Materialism: The Popular Fiction of 18th-Century Japan." Journal of Popular Culture 29.1 (Summer 1995): 235-245.
• Howell, David L. "Territoriality and Collective Identity in Tokugawa Japan." Daedalus 127.3 (Summer 1998): 105-132.
• Keogh, Annette. "Oriental Translations: Linguistic Explorations into the Closed Nation of Japan." Eighteenth Century: Theory and Interpretation 45.2 (Summer 2004): 171-191.
• Miyazaki, Katsunori. "Characteristics of Popular Movements in Nineteenth-Century Japan." Japan Forum 17.1 (Mar. 2005): 1-24.

More papers on Japanese History:

• Argumentative Essay # 135754 : "The Ishin in Japanese History"
• Analytical Essay # 89213 : "Japanese History 1800 - 1900"
• Essay # 42325 : "Foreign Entities in Japanese History"
• Comparison Essay # 39673 : "Japanese History Documents"

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