New Books in East Asian Studies Maren A. Ehlers, "Give and Take: Poverty and the Status Order in Early Modern Japan" (Harvard U Asia Center, 2018)
Aug 31, 2025
Maren A. Ehlers, author of "Give and Take: Poverty and the Status Order in Early Modern Japan," explores the intricate social dynamics of Tokugawa Japan. She dives into how marginalized groups, like beggar bosses and blind guilds, influenced society's structure and governance. Ehlers highlights the roles these groups played in poverty relief and their reciprocal relationships with the government. The discussion delves into the impact of the Temmei famine on charity practices, revealing a shift towards organized relief systems and changing attitudes toward poverty.
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Who Were The Koshiro?
- The Koshiro in Ono were a hereditary outcast group who monopolized begging and collected alms by custom.
- They performed regulated duties like patrols, burials, and keeping public order in exchange for begging rights.
Reciprocity Built Social Order
- The 'give' (privilege) and 'take' (duty) structure underpinned status groups' legitimacy and domain governance.
- Koshiro relationships with villages and the domain illustrate interdependent social bargaining.
Famine Turned Alms Into Levies
- After the Temmei famine the domain forced villages to pledge fixed alms to shore up Koshiro income like a tax.
- The domain sometimes coerced contributions when customary almsgiving no longer sufficed to sustain duties.
