The Social Class in Japan

In present Japan, the Emperor, symbolizing the authority, and the Prime Minister, having supreme power in politics, stand on the highest position of the social class. this derives from the political system that mixed up the government, which was founded in 14th century by the General, and the original imperial rule, and each side established many classes.

















Therefore,  samurai were able to have two classes simultaneously, and posts from the government displayed their own authority in military situations, and offices from the imperial rule showed the authority in diplomatic situations (by the way, the posts were given besides jobs samurai originally had).  In those days numerous warlords competed with each other for power, but to respect traditions was the proof of the refined samurai.

      


                            Court Nobles                                                      Government Officials

On the other hand, the person, who held both supreme classes, has never appear in history. Hideyoshi Toyotomi, who first unified the whole of Japan, was awarded the supreme office by the Emperor even though he was from farmer family. But since the person, who was given the highest position of the government, had to be from samurai family, Toyotomi could not acquire it. If this old-fashioned custom was abolished, he would be the only existence in Japanese history.




the class system like this doesn't no longer appear in current Japan, and people realize the Emperor as the symbol of Japan, and the Prime Minister as a representative of Japan. From 17th to 18th, this social class created extreme prejudice and people on the lowest state were treated like animal. social class exactly gives benefits to people on higher status, but also discrimination goes together with the benefits.

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