The Samurai History in Japan

The Samurai History in Japan Socio-economic Challenges that Kobushin Samurai Faced Samurai faced a number of challenges, which were both economic and social. In the 19th century, Samurai was the respected royal class of Japan. However, its power faded so fast due to the public mistrust. This was mainly because of the stagnation of income owing to the fact that the society was undergoing change.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Samurai History in Japan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Members of the Samurai were unable to achieve their economic interests because of poor returns and oppressive policies. The daimyos and the shogun could not increase taxes because rice farmers were reluctant to appreciate the role of the samurai in society. This affected the Samurai in the sense that the populace lost trust to an extent of refusing to submit taxes, which were in a form of food. The shift from agriculture as an economic activity to merchant trade affected many people since some individuals became poorer. They could not even sustain their families. This meant that they could not pay taxes to the Samurai. The daimyos had no option, but to increase tax rates for peasants. This complicated everything because the community experienced social disorder. The rates of crime went up because of frustrations. Katsu noted that the peasants threatened to organize demonstrations, forcing the Samurai to change the strategy as regards to adjusting the tax rates upwards (71). The social position of the Samurai and its economic chances were insidious, which resulted in the internal and external conflicts. This affected the existence of Kobushin because it was brought down. The royal class attained adequate power that placed it in the top position, with high culture and high social rank. This social position affected economic chances of the Samurai because the higher the social position, the better the chances for attaining high economic positi ons. Another challenge that faced the Samurai was the issue of change because the leadership could not handle change. The role of the peasant was always to provide foodstuff and offer taxes in a form of food. However, there was a new trend whereby the society was changing from agricultural society to the merchant society. The economic activity was changing because the community was adopting trade and quitting agriculture. Before the community changed its economic activity, merchants were viewed as the necessary evil because only unavailable products could be acquired from them. The society was growing at unprecedented rate because the challenges of urbanization were being felt for the first time.Advertising Looking for essay on asian? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More People had to shift from mechanistic societies to what were referred to as organic societies. This was not an easy task (Vaporis 33). The Samurai was not allowed to engage in trade or any other activity that would benefit it economically. The society had become complex since everything relied on economics meaning that those with economic power controlled everything in society. The Tokugawa laws stated that the Samurai had to offer guidance to the society, but not engaging in profit making activities. Merchants became very rich because the new social and economic trends favored them. Some peasants benefited directly from the new laws because they engaged in trading activities with the merchants. The power of the Kobushin Samurai was at risk because its social status did not allow it to engage in trade. The society was changing at the rate that few people had anticipated meaning that traditional ways of doing things could no longer hold. How Katsu Used or Abused his Status as a Samurai to Survive Katsu had to abuse his status to survive because the society was changing so fast. The new dynamics of society demanded that every person ad justs his or her views to conform to the new trends. During Katsu’s era, there was a tremendous growth of agricultural production. Moreover, the population grew at an alarming rate because there was a reported seventy percent growth. Tokugawa policies supported land reclamation, which supported agricultural production in various parts of the country. There was adequate peace because of the disarming of peasants and local leaders, which boosted development in various parts of the nation. It is reported that the land cultivated was increased by over one hundred percent meaning that there was surplus production. Katsu could not sit back and watch the changes taking place without getting involved. Tokugawa regime introduced the use of fertilizers and modern farming techniques that improved people’s living standards. Katsu could not be a part of the changes because of his status in society. He had to keep off from all economic activities that would make him rich. However, h e changed his position when he decided to be a thief because the book reports that he stole and lied to many people to achieve his interests in society. He allowed himself to mingle with people of all characters including beggars, thieves, priests, merchants, gamblers, and the holy.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Samurai History in Japan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to the samurai culture, this was unacceptable because the member of the royal class was expected to conduct him or herself in the manner that befits their status. In other words, Katsu was willing to do virtually everything to ascend to a higher economic status, including spoiling his own reputation and that of his family. Instead of living in accordance to the culture of the Samurai, Katsu involved himself in activities that were contrary to the provisions of the traditional culture. For instance, he participated in producing goods th at would generate profit. This was not allowed because it was considered exploitation. Members of the ruling class were not expected to exploit the poor by disposing cheap goods at an exorbitant price (Yoda 89). Katsu posited that he engaged himself in the making of lanterns, care parts, and umbrellas. Moreover, he accepted to take up cheap jobs that were contrary to his culture such as car painting, gate keeping, and plastering. Katsu commented that he was willing to live in accordance with the provisions of the culture, but he would not be able to live a comfortable life. Living a pious life would not bring any greatness to his family hence he decided to engage in activities that contravened the culture. The Realities of the Urban Life Urbanization was one of factors that forced Katsu to readjust his view as regards to the traditional culture. The emergence of cities posed serious challenges to both the mighty and the working class. The city life presented new opportunities, as we ll as challenges to individuals. Katsu was forced to adopt a new way of life whereby he would interact with individuals perceived to be impure. Katsu lost greatly due to the emergence of the cities because he was always paid in fixed stipends, which were disbursed in terms of rice. The stipends were paid based on an individual’s social position in society. Urbanization contributed to the increase of prices of commodities, which was not commensurate to the increase in production. The new trends of the city demanded that people pay out their bills in monetary terms meaning that the samurai was to exchange the rice received with money. This would not be enough because the living costs had gone up yet taxpayers could no offer more taxes. The Samurai existed at the mercy of the moneychangers and the merchants who had taken over the economic systems of various towns, including Osaka and Edo.Advertising Looking for essay on asian? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the market, there was an unstable price for rice, meaning that moneychangers could decide the price at which they could buy the major product. The economy was growing so fast, yet the Samurai was not allowed to engage in farming and commerce. This was a challenge because the leadership of the city was becoming weaker and weaker while traders, who were ranked low socially, were the economic powerhouses. The emergence of the cities presented new challenges to the Samurai in a number of ways because they were forced to engage in activities that were forbidden culturally. Contacts between people were official meaning that individuals did not meet just to talk about the social problems. For instance, an individual needed an appointment with any of the merchants to discuss any issue. The role of the Samurai was diminishing because the city had complex challenges that demanded effective forms of administrations. For instance, the Samurai was expected to act as an example to other member s of society regarding morality. Other members of society would follow the ways of the Samurai in terms of observing cultural rules and regulations. Moreover, other forms of crimes emerged due to the urbanization, for instance, prostitution, muggings, kidnapping, and carjacking emerged as new forms of crimes that would not be prevented. Even the Samurai was not spared. Dilemma of the Low Ranking Samurai in the Tokugawa Regime The Samurai was expected to follow the culture that was so strict on its members, whereby each individual was supposed to keep off from activities that would hurt the members of society. During the Tokugawa regime, it was very difficult to convince people to live in accordance with the values of the Samurais culture because of the changes that were taking place in society. The changes were taking place rapidly. The Tokugawa regime tried to disseminate information regarding the life of the Samurai through promotion of education and increasing literacy. The Samur ai belonged to the royal class whose major aim was to defend the community during war. To the Samurai, death was considered normal because it was inevitable. To preserve unity in Japan, involvement of the Samurai was crucial because it was respected all over. It became extremely difficult to convince people to appreciate the role that the Samurai played in the Japanese society. This was the dilemma of governmental officials because they found it difficult to abolish the role of the Samurai. There was divided loyalty among government officials as regards to the role of the Samurai. Some believed that the Samurai had no role to play since its members had abandoned the fundamental ideals that characterized the royalty. Some Tokugawa officials noted that the Samurai motivated the soldiers because they were regarded as the highest family in the land. To be a good soldier, an individual had to forfeit all other things and concentrate on serving the nation. Therefore, the role of the Samur ai was important. Katsu, Kokichi. Musuis Story: The Autobiography of a Tokugawa Samurai. Tucson: The Univ. of Arizona Press, 1995. Print. Vaporis, Constantive. â€Å"To Edo and Back: Alternate Attendance and Japanese Culture in the Early Modern Period.† Journal of Japanese Studies, 23.1 (1997): 25–67. Print. Yoda, Tomiko. â€Å"A Roadmap to Millennial Japan.† South Atlantic Quarterly, 99.4 (2000): 629–668. Print.

Proposed Amendments to the U.S. Constitution

Proposed Amendments to the U.S. Constitution Any member of Congress or state legislature can propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Since 1787, more than 10,000 amendments have been proposed. These proposals range from banning the desecration of the American flag to balancing the  federal budget to altering the Electoral College. Key Takeaways: ​Proposed Amendments Since 1787, more than 10,000 constitutional amendments have been proposed by members of Congress and state legislatures.  Most proposed amendments are never ratified.  Some of the most commonly proposed amendments relate to the federal budget, the freedom of speech, and congressional term limits.   The Amendment Proposal Process Members of Congress propose an average of nearly 40 constitutional amendments every year.  However, most amendments  are never ratified or even passed by the House or Senate. In fact, the Constitution has been amended only 27 times in history. The last time a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified was 1992, when the 27th Amendment preventing Congress from giving itself immediate pay raises was cleared by the states. The process of amending the Constitution in this particular case took more than two centuries, illustrating the difficulty and reluctance among elected officials and the public to changing a document that is so revered and cherished. For an amendment to be considered, it must receive  a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate or be called for at a constitutional convention voted on by two-thirds of state legislatures. Once an amendment is  proposed, it must be ratified by at least three-fourths of the states to be added to the constitution. Many proposed amendments to the U.S. Constitution fail to catch on, even those that appeared to have the support of the most powerful elected official in the land: the president of the United States. President Donald Trump, for example, has expressed support for both a constitutional ban on flag-burning and on  term limits for members of the House and Senate. (The Founding Fathers rejected the idea of imposing term limits when writing the U.S. Constitution.) Commonly Proposed Constitutional Amendments The overwhelming majority of proposed constitutional amendments deal with the same few topics:  the federal budget, freedom of speech, and term limits. However, none of the following amendments have gained much traction in Congress. Balanced Budget Among the most contentious proposed amendments to the U.S. Constitution is the balanced-budget amendment. The idea of  preventing the federal government from spending more than it generates in revenue from taxes in any fiscal year has drawn support from some conservatives. Most notably, it won backing from President Ronald Reagan, who vowed in 1982 to do all he could to get Congress to pass the amendment. Speaking in the Rose Garden of the White House in July 1982, Reagan said: We must not, and we will not, permit prospects for lasting economic recovery to be buried beneath an endless tide of red ink. Americans understand that the discipline of a balanced-budget amendment is essential to stop squandering and overtaxing. And theyre saying the time to pass the amendment is now. The balanced-budget amendment is the single most commonly  proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of legislation. Over the course of two decades, members of the House and Senate introduced 134 such proposed amendments -   none of which went beyond Congress.   Flag-Burning In 1989, President George H.W. Bush  announced his support for a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would have banned the desecration of the American flag. However,  the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the  First Amendment  guarantee of  freedom of speech  protected the activity. Said Bush: I believe that the flag of the United States should never be the object of desecration. Protection of the flag, a unique national symbol, will in no way limit the opportunity nor the breadth of protest available in the exercise of free speech rights. ...  Flag burning is wrong. As President, I will uphold our precious right to dissent, but burning the flag goes too far and I want to see that matter remedied. Term Limits The Founding Fathers rejected the idea of congressional term limits. Supporters of a congressional term limit amendment argue that it will limit the possibility for corruption and bring fresh ideas into the Capitol. On the other hand, critics of the idea argue that there is value in the  experience gained when congressional leaders serve multiple terms.  Ã‚   Other Examples of Proposed Amendments The following are some other recently proposed amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Repealing the 16th Amendment. The 16th amendment created the income tax in 1913. Representative Steve King of Iowa proposed a repeal of this amendment in order to eliminate the income tax and ultimately replace it with a different tax system.  Rep. King stated: â€Å"The federal government has the first lien on all productivity in America. Ronald Reagan once said, ‘What  you tax you get less of.’ Right now we tax all productivity. We need to turn that completely around and put the tax on consumption. That is why we need to repeal the 16th Amendment which authorizes the income tax. Replacing the current income tax with a consumption tax will ensure that productivity is not punished in our country, but rewarded.†Requiring a two-thirds vote of from each house  of Congress to increase the statutory limit on the public debt, from Rep. Randy Neugebauer of Texas.  The United States debt ceiling is the maximum amount of money that the federal government is allowed to borrow to meet its existing legal financial obligations, including Social Security and Medicare benefits, military salaries, interest on the national debt, tax refunds, and other payments. The U.S. Congress sets the debt limit and only Congress can raise it. Stating that the Constitution neither prohibits voluntary prayer nor requires prayer in schools, from Rep. Nick J. Rahall II of West Virginia. The proposed amendment states that the constitution will not be construed to prohibit voluntary prayer or require prayer in school.  Overturning Citizens United, the U.S. Supreme Court decision that the federal government cannot limit corporations from spending money to influence the outcome of elections, from Rep. Theodore Deutch of Florida.  Limit the power of Congress to impose a tax on a failure to purchase goods or services, from Rep. Steven  Palazzo of Mississippi. This proposed amendment seeks to undo the federal mandate that Americans carry health insurance, as spelled out by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed by President Barack Obama.  Ending the practice of including more than one subject in a single law by requiring that each law enacted by Congress be limited to only one subject and that the subject be c learly and descriptively expressed in the title of the law, from Rep. Tom Marino of Pennsylvania. Giving  states the right to repeal federal laws and regulations when ratified by the legislatures of two-thirds of the several states, from Rep. Rob Bishop of Utah. Bishop argues that this proposed amendment would add an additional system of checks and balances between state and federal governments. The founding fathers crafted the Constitution to include the concept of checks and balances. Sources DeSilver, Drew. Proposed Amendments To The U.S. Constitution Seldom Go Anywhere. Pew Research Center, 2018.Frank, Steve. The Top 10 Amendments That Havent Made It (Yet).  National Constitution Center, 2010.Amending America: Proposed Amendments to the United States Constitution, 1787 to 2014:  National Archives