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Difficulty: EasyBureaucratic Elites and Military Recruitment (Devshirme and Samurai)

"Since the warriors of the present day have moved to the castle towns to serve their lords, they no longer live on the land as they did in former times. They must now purchase all their food, clothing, and weapons with their stipends. Consequently, many have fallen into debt to the merchant class. Furthermore, because there is no longer active warfare, their daily duties have shifted from fighting on the battlefield to handling files, collecting taxes, and managing the administration of the domains."

—Adapted from Ogyū Sorai, Japanese Confucian philosopher, Seidan (Discourse on Government), c. 1720

The shifts in the duties and lifestyle of the warriors described in the passage best illustrate which of the following developments in East Asia during the period 1450–1750?

  1. The transformation of the samurai from a warrior class into a bureaucratic eliteAnswer
  2. B
    The adoption of European feudal systems to decentralize regional political authority
  3. C
    The implementation of the devshirme system to recruit loyal administrative elites
  4. D
    The geographic expansion of Safavid administrative practices to govern regional domains

Answer

The transformation of the samurai from a warrior class into a bureaucratic elite
The correct answer is correct because the passage details the transition of samurai from active military fighters on the battlefield to administrative officials in castle towns. Following the unification of Japan under the Tokugawa Shogunate, a long era of peace made military combat rare, prompting the government to employ the samurai class as bureaucrats and tax administrators to centralize control over the domains.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus passage for details about the changing role of the warriors.
The text notes that warriors moved to castle towns, began receiving stipends, fell into debt, and shifted their daily duties from fighting to administration and tax collection.
Identifying these key details helps clarify the exact historical shift described in the source.
2
Connect these details to the broader historical context of East Asia during 1450–1750.
During the Tokugawa Shogunate, Japan was unified and experienced long-term internal peace. Consequently, the samurai warrior class was integrated into the state apparatus as salaried civil administrators and bureaucrats.
Placing the source within its correct historical timeline and political context helps determine the matching historical trend.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the option that matches this development.
The option stating that samurai transformed into a bureaucratic elite perfectly matches the transition from soldiers to record-keepers and administrators described in the passage.
Selecting this option directly demonstrates an understanding of how land-based empires consolidated and managed their elite groups.

Key Concept

The bureaucratization of traditional military elites (specifically the samurai under the Tokugawa Shogunate) to consolidate state authority during times of peace.
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Bureaucratic Elites and Military Recruitment (Devshirme and Samurai)

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