Matsudaira Sadanobu

Matsudaira Sadanobu

▪ Japanese government minister
born Jan. 25, 1759, Edo [now Tokyo], Japan
died , June 14, 1829, Edo

      Japanese minister who instituted the Kansei reforms (q.v.), a series of conservative fiscal and social measures intended to reinvigorate Japan by recovering the greatness that had marked the Tokugawa shogunate from its inception in 1603. Although traditional historians have paid tribute to them, Matsudaira's reforms are now generally considered to have been a vain resuscitation of an outdated system and to have hindered any adjustment of the process of government to changes already taking place in society.

      Matsudaira was a member of the reigning Tokugawa family and had early been considered for adoption as heir to the shogun, or hereditary military dictator of Japan. Instead he was made the daimyo, or lord, of an important fief not under the shogun's direct rule. There his vigorous measures reordered finances and administration.

      When the shogun Tokugawa Ieharu died in 1786, Matsudaira's influence secured the nomination of Tokugawa Ienari (reigned 1787–1837) as successor. Under the new administration, Matsudaira, a firm believer in the anticommerce, ruler-oriented philosophy of the 12th-century Chinese thinker Chu Hsi, accomplished the dismissal of the chief minister, Tanuma Okitsugu, who had headed a notoriously corrupt administration but had encouraged the development of trade and industry.

      Having then succeeded Tanuma as chief minister, Matsudaira tried to proscribe unorthodox thought. He dismissed numerous corrupt officials and instituted qualifying examinations for new appointees. He sought to foster the traditional agricultural economy by curtailing foreign trade and severely restricting the growth of the merchant class, while limiting fiscal expenditure through a vigorous program of economy. His policies gave some aid to the government in its financial difficulties, and his measures to alleviate famine temporarily averted serious peasant unrest, but such solutions proved to be only temporary.

      After a minor policy dispute with the shogun had caused his retirement in 1793, Matsudaira devoted himself to Confucian studies and writing. He was considered—and styled himself—a model Confucian ruler.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Matsudaira Sadanobu — Matsudaira Sadanobu, 松平 定信|, (15 de enero de 1759 – 14 de junio de 1829) fue un daimyo japonés del período Edo, famoso por sus reformas financieras que ayudaron a salvar el Dominio de Shirakawa, como también por reformas similares que realizó… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Matsudaira Sadanobu — In this Japanese name, the family name is Matsudaira . Matsudaira Sadanobu Portrait of Matsudaira Sadanobu 3rd Lord of Shirakawa …   Wikipedia

  • Matsudaira Sadanobu — 松平 定信 Matsudaira Sadanobu Geboren Gestorben 15. Januar 1759 14. Juni 1829 Familie Vater: Tokugawa Munetake Ado …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Matsudaira clan — crest Province of origin Mikawa Parent house Minamoto clan …   Wikipedia

  • Matsudaira Sadaaki — In this Japanese name, the family name is Matsudaira . Matsudaira Sadaaki A young Matsudaira Sadaaki 4th (Matsudaira) Lord of Kuwana …   Wikipedia

  • Clan Matsudaira — Le clan Matsudaira (松平氏) est un clan du Japon médiéval originaire de la province de Mikawa. Il est connu pour être lié aux shoguns Tokugawa puisque Ieyasu Tokugawa était un membre du clan Matsudaira, il était connu sous le nom de Matsudaira… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Sadaaki Matsudaira — (松平定敬, 18 janvier 1847 12 juillet 1908) était un daimyo japonais de la période du Bakumatsu, qui fut le dernier dirigeant du domaine de Kuwana. Sadaaki était l héritier adoptif de Sadamichi Matsudaira, le descendant de Sadatsuna, le troisième… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • japan — japanner, n. /jeuh pan /, n., adj., v., japanned, japanning. n. 1. any of various hard, durable, black varnishes, originally from Japan, for coating wood, metal, or other surfaces. 2. work varnished and figured in the Japanese manner. 3. Japans,… …   Universalium

  • Japan — /jeuh pan /, n. 1. a constitutional monarchy on a chain of islands off the E coast of Asia: main islands, Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, and Shikoku. 125,716,637; 141,529 sq. mi. (366,560 sq. km). Cap.: Tokyo. Japanese, Nihon, Nippon. 2. Sea of, the… …   Universalium

  • Shirakawa Domain — The nihongo|Shirakawa Domain|白河藩|Shirakawa han was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Mutsu Province. Its most famous ruler was Matsudaira Sadanobu, the architect of the Kansei Reforms.Shirakawa was also the scene of one of the… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”