Paying the price for spiritual enlightenment: tax pressure and living standards in Kofun and Asuka-Nara, Japan (c.300-794 AD)

Jean-Pascal Bassino () and Masanori Takashima ()
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Masanori Takashima: Hitotsubashi University

No 14001, Working Papers from Economic History Society

Abstract: "Did the twin processes of political centralization and urbanization in ancient economies affect the wellbeing of commoners? We propose a cost-benefit analysis based on institutional and quantitative information on public revenues (poll tax, land tax, and corvée labour) and expenditures during the Kofun period (ca 300-538) and the Asuka-Nara period (538-794). Our findings indicate that the tax pressure increased sharply during the Asuka-Nara period, which corresponds to the introduction a new Chinese-style political system based on economic and religious institutions legitimized by Buddhism. It appears nevertheless that the new social order was well accepted. The willingness to accept a higher tax pressure could be explained by the role played by Buddhism as pacification device reducing the exposure of commoners to warfare-related risks, while improving social stability, property rights, and contract enforcement. In the meantime, the introduction of the new Chinese-style institutional framework resulted in a decline in the nutritional status of the rural population in the core Kinai region and in surrounding provinces."

Keywords: "political centralization; urbanisation; income tax; corvée labour; nutrition; Buddhism" (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: N35 N45 Z12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014-03
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