Heimin (平民) is the Japanese word for commoner. The word first came into use towards the end of the Edo period to denote people who were born without any social privileges, contrasting them with shizoku. Heimin mostly consisted of farmers, artisans and merchants.[1]
During the Meiji Restoration, Japan began a period of rapid industrialisation and Westernisation. By the 1880s, the samurai, who were once de facto in control of Japan, had lost a major part of their significance and power, which coincided with the rise of the heimin class.[2] In accordance with the new period of Westernisation, Japan's social values changed, and economic status was eventually considered more important than a person's family history.
Tokutomi Sohō, in his essay Youth of the New Japan (Shin Nihon no Seinen), argued that the traditionalist outlook of Japan's aristocrats was stifling economic development, as heimin suffered from discrimination and unemployment – in 1891, only 50% of Japanese politics and economics college graduates were able to find employment.[3] Furthermore, only 2% of the population was allowed to vote, of which most were "landowners and capitalists".[4] Sohō believed that Japan would not be able to thrive unless aristocratic "social parasites" relinquished their control over the country's politics and economy.[5] Sohō also coined the term heiminism, to describe his advocacy for Japanese industrialisation and democratisation.[6]
See alsoedit
Heimin Shinbun, a socialist newspaper active in Japan from 1903 to 1905
^Bowen, Roger (1984). Rebellion and Democracy in Meiji Japan. University of California Press. p. 146.
^Xu Lu, Sidney (2019). The Making of Japanese Settler Colonialism: Malthusianism and Trans-Pacific Migration, 1868-1961. Cambridge University Press. p. 104.
^Xu Lu, Sidney (2019). The Making of Japanese Settler Colonialism: Malthusianism and Trans-Pacific Migration, 1868-1961. Cambridge University Press. p. 105.
^Tierney, Robert (2015). Monster of the Twentieth Century: Kotoku Shusui and Japan's First Anti-Imperialist Movement. University of California Press. p. 105.
^Xu Lu, Sidney (2019). The Making of Japanese Settler Colonialism: Malthusianism and Trans-Pacific Migration, 1868-1961. Cambridge University Press. p. 106.
^Tierney, Robert (2015). Monster of the Twentieth Century: Kotoku Shusui and Japan's First Anti-Imperialist Movement. University of California Press. p. 101.
January 01, 1970
heimin, 平民, japanese, word, commoner, word, first, came, into, towards, period, denote, people, were, born, without, social, privileges, contrasting, them, with, shizoku, mostly, consisted, farmers, artisans, merchants, japanese, farmers, from, meiji, periodhi. Heimin 平民 is the Japanese word for commoner The word first came into use towards the end of the Edo period to denote people who were born without any social privileges contrasting them with shizoku Heimin mostly consisted of farmers artisans and merchants 1 Japanese farmers from the Meiji periodHistory editDuring the Meiji Restoration Japan began a period of rapid industrialisation and Westernisation By the 1880s the samurai who were once de facto in control of Japan had lost a major part of their significance and power which coincided with the rise of the heimin class 2 In accordance with the new period of Westernisation Japan s social values changed and economic status was eventually considered more important than a person s family history Tokutomi Sohō in his essay Youth of the New Japan Shin Nihon no Seinen argued that the traditionalist outlook of Japan s aristocrats was stifling economic development as heimin suffered from discrimination and unemployment in 1891 only 50 of Japanese politics and economics college graduates were able to find employment 3 Furthermore only 2 of the population was allowed to vote of which most were landowners and capitalists 4 Sohō believed that Japan would not be able to thrive unless aristocratic social parasites relinquished their control over the country s politics and economy 5 Sohō also coined the term heiminism to describe his advocacy for Japanese industrialisation and democratisation 6 See also editHeimin Shinbun a socialist newspaper active in Japan from 1903 to 1905 Kazoku Japanese nobility from the Meiji periodReferences edit Bowen Roger 1984 Rebellion and Democracy in Meiji Japan University of California Press p 146 Xu Lu Sidney 2019 The Making of Japanese Settler Colonialism Malthusianism and Trans Pacific Migration 1868 1961 Cambridge University Press p 104 Xu Lu Sidney 2019 The Making of Japanese Settler Colonialism Malthusianism and Trans Pacific Migration 1868 1961 Cambridge University Press p 105 Tierney Robert 2015 Monster of the Twentieth Century Kotoku Shusui and Japan s First Anti Imperialist Movement University of California Press p 105 Xu Lu Sidney 2019 The Making of Japanese Settler Colonialism Malthusianism and Trans Pacific Migration 1868 1961 Cambridge University Press p 106 Tierney Robert 2015 Monster of the Twentieth Century Kotoku Shusui and Japan s First Anti Imperialist Movement University of California Press p 101 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Heimin amp oldid 1206013149, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
