A Modern History of Japan, Essay Example

The decentralized Tokugawa state was the most striking feature of Tokugawa Japan for me. Indeed, the history of the Tokugawa is accentuated by powerful state responses to foreign invasions: Matthew Perry’s “opening” up of Japan; the savage persecution of Catholics in the country. Despite the strong, centralized response, however, the state’s structure was startlingly hollow. There were no centralized treasury or tax codes; there was no national judiciary to adjudicate disputes. The government stayed out of many conflicts between classes in the country, allowing samurais and others to fight it out in order to determine the winner. The Tokugawa state was thus a fascinating study in contrasts: On the one hand, it maintained a hardline against any invader (physical or metaphysical) that threatened the country’s way of life; on the other hand, the domestic government maintained a laissez-faire attitude towards domestic disturbances and finance allowing strong local actors to play a dominant role in governing the country.