Protests, Rebellion, Mass HysteriaAgrarian Economy and BeyondAgrarian Economy and BeyondRealityGreat Peace?Types of RebellionEconomic Hardship and Samurai ProtestRealitiesFamine of 1783TaxesProtests, Rebellion, Mass HysteriaImages removed due to copyright restrictions.Woodcut illustrations of peasant riots.Agrarian Economy and Beyond• Kokudaka (measurement of wealth in rice)• Importance of merchants in exchange• Self-sufficiency to cash crops and specialization• Stratification of countryside• Peasants work in factories (soy sauce, sake, ceramics)Agrarian Economy and Beyond• Proto-industrial economy develops: silk, tea, textiles• Technological improvements increase productivity of land• Commercial revolution lays basis for industrial revolution (1850s)Image removed due to copyright restrictions.Reality• Enormous inequalities– Peasant protests and riots in cities– Infanticide rampant• Debt system putting pressure from top-down– Daimyo cut stipends– More taxes demanded of village headmenGreat Peace?• Internal village disputes: 3,200• Protests against feudal authorities: 3,212• Urban disturbances: 488Types of Rebellion• Absconding as individuals or en masse• Disorderly rallies, minor riots• Appeal to higher authorities• Mass or mob protest• Violent demonstrations• “House wrecking”• Massive regional insurrection• World-renewing mass movementsImage removed due to copyright restrictions. Painting of peasants rioting and dancing as money falls from the sky.Economic Hardship and Samurai Protest•IDEALS– Sankin kôtai– Daimyo instruct samurai and commoners to enrich soil and be diligent in literature and military arts– If samurai perform duties correctly, no povertyRealities• ALL Daimyo were in debt to merchants• Daimyo select officials who increase burden• Some daimyo allow merchants to take over reign• Daimyo in debt could no longer “protect and nurture” farmersFamine of 1783• Many ghost villages with abandoned fields• Number that starved to death exceeded 2M• Infanticide: ‘great evil.’ Appalled at this and looking for solution to stop.• Call for ‘enlightened ruler.’ Dissent towards existing leadership• Suggestion that daimyo give two bags of rice each year to mother of new child in order to stop infanticide.• Daimyo blamed for starvationImage removed due to copyright restrictions. Illustration of emaciated, ravenous peasants.Taxes• Taxes in range of 50, 60, 70 percent• vacant lots and gardens, buildings, doors, windows, girls who have reached a certain age, cloth, sake, herbs, and sesame seeds• Fear of tax officials• Corvee