Establishment of landownership in the early time of Meiji

village headmen on the Transfer System in amendment of the land tax law

Abstract

The Meiji government abolished the feudal systems, amended the land tax law and created modern landownership, in the process of centralization of political power. At that time, judicial cases about allowed-landownership of village headmen happened. The landownership of village headmen (landowners in the Shogunate regime) was established by the Meiji government. In the process that judicial power was separated from administrative power and became independent, it is substantiated that administrative actions were protected and strengthened by exercise of judicial power. Thus, these landed classes acquired the economic base (limit of electoral eligibility by property), the leadership of local autonomy. The above and the attitude of Meiji government toward landownership are mentioned.