Equality of the four classes

After the Meiji Restoration, the new government abolished the old feudal class system of samurai, farmers, artisans and merchants (the four classes) in order to form a centralized state. In 1870 (Meiji 3), farmers and townspeople were allowed to use surnames, and the following year, discriminatory names and classes such as eta and hinin were abolished to "liberate" the discriminated people. After that, the names of nobles and feudal lords were changed to nobility, samurai to shizoku, and the three classes of farmers, artisans and merchants to commoners. Freedom of residence, occupation, marriage, etc. was also granted to nobility, shizoku and commoners, and in principle, all citizens were treated equally. However, in reality, this measure of equality of the four classes did not eliminate class discrimination among the people, and in the process of establishing state power, it essentially meant a reorganization of the class order for a new control over the people with the Emperor at the top.

[Hiromi Ishizuka]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

明治維新後、中央集権国家形成のため、旧来の士農工商（四民）の封建的身分制度が、新政府によって廃止されたこと。1870年（明治3）農民や町人が姓（苗字(みょうじ)）を名のることを許され、また翌年、穢多(えた)・非人などの差別的呼称と身分を廃止して被差別民を「解放」するなどの措置がとられたのち、公卿(くぎょう)と諸藩藩主を華族、武士を士族、農工商三民を平民という呼称に改め、居住・職業・結婚などの自由も、華・士族、平民間で認められ、原則として、国民はすべて平等に扱われることになった。しかしこの四民平等の措置は、現実には国民の間の身分差別を解消しなかったうえ、実質的には、国家権力の確立の過程で、天皇を頂点とする新たな国民支配のための身分秩序の再編を意味する結果になった。

［石塚裕道］

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