19th Century Samurais Research Paper

1019 Words5 Pages

Japan is one of the most developed countries in the world and one can even say that they are at the very top of the technological development. It has taken a long time for Japan to achieve this kind of prestige in the developed world. This project aims to examine the consequences of this growth which we can understand by investigating the history of the country and other factors. By the end of the twelfth century to the nineteenth century samurais were considered to be one of the most influential and powerful actors in the society (Ikegami 1995,p.15). This concept of power which came together with bushido may have left a mark on the Japanese mentality. But first one needs to know that samurais were not only about power but also about a respectful and honourable way of life and most of all their code of honour; Bushido. First there were the “medieval samurais” and after that they have changed and have …show more content…

John Davis defined honour as a “system of stratification”, further on he explains that there is a behaviour defining one’s rank (Ikegami, 1995). This means that basically there is a different set of unwritten moral rules for a businessman and a plumber, they are not expected to act the same. It is expected from businessmen to be well-mannered/professional in order to represent his position, unlike a plumber and what he represents - the working class. But it is not only about the working position they occupy, but also their sex, class, age, et cetera. These statuses all come with certain appropriate behaviour which is expected from the society (Ikegami 1995, p.22). It is therefore applicable from different perspectives, for example with sex; if a woman has children it is inappropriate to go out to the bar, drinking with friends. When some of their neighbours see her, they might spread the word out making her look like a horrible