Lecture reading 10 - Yonaoshi in Aizu Flashcards
(32 cards)
What was the crowning victory by the Meiji government to eliminate resistance to the imperial coup d’etat?
Subjugation of Aizu.
What did the war and mobilisation bring to Aizu?
Destruction of property, disruption of trade and agriculture, imposed great hardship. Armies seized food from already poor harvest, leading to food shortages. Also seized animals and goods, sexually assaulted women.
What did the collapse of the political order present?
Opportunity.
What did the peasant uprisings turn into?
Rebellions.
What did the uprisings and rebellions attempt to bring about?
Radical changes in political and economic arrangements in the village.
What did the peasants name the movement?
‘Yonaoshi’ (‘world renewal’).
Describe the attack in Gojouki village.
Two thousand peasants demolished houses and offices of village headmen, local moneylenders, and merchants. Afterwards, representatives gave assent to a list of proposals for changes in land tenure, debt relationships, and village leadership.
How did the attacks in other areas follow the established pattern in Gojouki?
Attacks against high-status villagers, then adoption of a program of radical reform.
What was the distinctive character of yonaoshi?
Attacks, followed by formulation of program of change.
Why were large crowds mobilised in the uprisings?
To demonstrate the collective nature of violence.
What was the immediate purpose of these crowds?
To destroy tangible wealth and confiscate or destroy pawned goods, mortgage deeds, tax records, etc.
What was a political act in the uprisings?
Attacking the village headman whose family had likely governed the village for generations.
What did peasants reject?
Traditional village leadership and economic arrangements through which elite dominated the local economy.
How did peasants give concrete expressions to their aims?
Convened assemblies and passed resolutions.
What were the peasants concerned with? (four points)
- Proper constituency of movements
- Reform of village government
- Settlement of pawned goods and outstanding debts
- Just treatment of mortgaged land and debt-tenancy
List two ways in which the assemblies were significant.
- Peasants gave popular sanction through formal organisational structures to changes they wished to carry out.
- The fact that mobilisation occurred at a higher level than the village (department level) shows that the peasants possessed a more sophisticated political awareness and broader vision than is commonly ascribed to Tokugawa peasants.
What was the most radical action of the uprisings?
Wresting of village office from hereditary headmen.
What made the headmen the sole individuals qualified to represent the community in political appeals and financial transactions?
They possessed great power over political and social affairs of the village.
What does the ousting of the headmen show?
Dissatisfaction with system of village government in which authority was part of the patrimony of the family that boasted the longest lineage and possessed the largest fields.
What did the ousting mark?
The transfer of power to a class representative of the majority of the village community - new concept of representation.
What did peasants also attempt to legislate?
More just economic relations within local market economy.
What was the government’s stance on the uprisings?
Did not protect headmen or punish attackers. Movement was a series of local rebellions against village leaders rather than domainwide uprising in government.
How did the headmen recover their former positions?
Using considerable wealth and political skills.
What did the headmen’s strategems involve?
Ranged from acts of public repentance and genuine conciliation to bribery and civil suits.
