--- In
samuraihistory@yahoogroups.com, "SamuraiSteve" <
SamuraiSteve@h...> wrote:
> It seems that the Shogun had many disgreements with the Samurai
class especially during the Meiji era. Could the Shogun be directed
more or less against the samurai as they are the formal head of
goverment?
I think we could relate this situation to modern day politics. The
Shogun held all of Japan's power (the Emperor had some minor powers
that were dictated by the Shogun), somewhat similar to the U.S.
President. We could compare Samurai to politicians (unfair
comparison, I know) vying for the position of power. Some
politician, let's say he/she's a Senator, could have an interesting
position. In most situations, it is best for the Senator to be
aligned with and endorsed by the current president. To be recognized
by a person of such power and authority is good for the political
future of the Senator. If that same Senator were to run for office
against the current president, they would be rivals. The Senator
would then attempt to seperate him/herself from the current
president.
It would be in a samurai's benefit to be aligned with the Shogun.
But if that samurai wanted to be Shogun (and I'm sure almost all of
them had that aspiration) then they would be rivals. I think this
would be on an individual or perhaps sect basis but not the entire
class of Samurai againt the Shogun. The Shogun was the top dog in
the Samurai class. For this reason I'm sure there was jealousy and
hatred but he still belonged to that class. At some point, a Shogun
realized how dangerous it was to be Shogun. To reduce rivalry, the
practice of housing "family guests" (i.e. hostages) in the immediate
house of the Shogun was common.
Brandon
P.S. I'm not an expert on the Meiji period but wasn't that when the
Samurai class was abolished. The Shogun was overthrown first so
there would be no Shogun to disagree with. The Emperor had the
disagreement with the Samurai and the Shogun, probably because his
office, although diefied, held no power for almost 1000 years. Here,
the direct descendant of the Sun God saw an opportunity, with
technology and the weakness of the current Shogun; to take power back
and once again rule Japan. According to "Japanese History, 11
experts reflect on the past" a kodansha book, "The period commenced
with the collapse of the Tokugawa Shogunate... "