Can somebody PLEASE explain Japanese fuedalism in the medeval time???

Question

I am doing a report and I need to find out about this but it is really hard to find! Can somebody please explain feudilism in Japan?!

Answer 1

Feudalism means an economic system where a ruling class owned or controled farmland (and fishing).

The medieval period in human history generally falls between 800 and 1400.

At one time in human history the only source of real wealth was the land that produced food (and/or fishing). When a group of people set themselves up to control the farmers and fishermen, such as the knights in Europe or the Samurai in Japan, this was called a 'Feudal System' or Feudalism. After Feudalism there was 'Mercantilism' and after 'Mercantilism' there came 'Capitalism'. So during the Feudal age of Japan when the Samurai (warriors) ruled the farmers, the merchants were considered low class and bothersome.

In Japan the soldier or warriors set themselves up to control all other people, these Japanese warriors called themselves Samurai, which means 'to serve'. The Samurai only served other Samurai, so they served a head Samurai called a 'Lord'.

If the regular people: farmers, fisherman, carpenters, blacksmiths, and other tradesmen (all called peasants) did not do what they were told, the Samurai would simply kill them. Only the Samurai were allowed to own weapons (sword, spear, or bow & arrow) under penalty of death.

So now in Japan you have two groups of people under Feudalism: the Samurai and the peasants.

After the year 1600 did the merchant class, people who bought and sold items, began to make their presence known in Japanese society, and two hundred years later in 1868-1912, under the Meiji Restoration, did the merchants finally become more powerful than the Samurai and the Samurai were actually outlawed.

Answer 2

The word feudalism is based on feud, which is related to fief, which is related to vieh, which means cattle in German. The concept in ancient Japan was related not to the number of cattle that one's land could support but to the amount of rice that one's land could produce.

Answer 3

just search for it on wikipedia.com it gives u tons of information and pictures :D