Gekokujō
February 26 Incident
Gekokujō (下克上, also 下剋上) is a Japanese word which refers to someone of a lower position overthrowing someone of a higher position using military or political might, seizing power.[1] It is variously translated as "the lower rules the higher" or "the low overcomes the high".[2]
History
The term originated from Sui dynasty China. In Japan, it came into use during the Kamakura period.[citation needed]
Instances of gekokujō date back to the
shogunate was established, social mobility and the freedom of soldiers and farmers was restricted to try to prevent further gekokujō.[4] The Tokugawa shogunate adopted a Confucian system of social stratification, which put all members of society into distinct groups, making it unlikely for anyone to leave their given social class.[5]
During the early
Mukden Incident in 1931, leading to the Japanese invasion of Manchuria.[6] British correspondent Hugh Byas described the phenomenon as "government by assassination".[7] Masanobu Tsuji (辻 政信) was a well known supporter of extreme gekokujō during World War II.[8]
In art
- The February 26 Incident is prominently portrayed as an example of gekokujō in Yukio Mishima's short story "Patriotism", and serves as the backdrop for the events of the narrative.[9]
See also
References
- ^ 『大辞林』第3版 下克上
- Frances Rosenbluth (2010). War and State Building in Medieval Japan, p. 149.
- ^ Friday, Karl (2012). Japan Emerging: Premodern History to 1850. p. 347.
- ^ Friday, Karl (2012). Japan Emerging: Premodern History to 1850. p. 315.
- ^ Friday, Karl (2012). Japan Emerging: Premodern History to 1850. pp. 348–349.
- ^ a b Smith, Noah (2020-03-03). "Leaders Who Act Like Outsiders Invite Trouble". Bloomberg News.
- ^ Orbach, Danny (2017). Curse on This Country: The Rebellious Army of Imperial Japan. Cornell University Press. p. 2.
- ^ Budge, Kent G. (2006)."Tsuji Masanobu (1901–1961?)." In: The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
- ^ Beasley, William (1975). Modern Japan: Aspects of History, Literature and Society. University of California Press. p. 86.
- "gekokujō". February 26 Incident; Militarism).
Further reading
- Sources of Japanese Tradition Volume 2 compiled by William T. de Bary, Carol Gluck and Arthur E. Tiedemann