Mutō's codes
The Mutō codes is the name given to a series of systems, laws, and Reforms Takeshi Mutō put in place in his time in power. These laws are varied and were made over a long period of time, they have no tying factors other than Takeshi put them into place during his reign. By no means a comprehensive list, these where the most impactful and talked about.
Economic policy
In 1588 directly after unifying Japan he would emplace regulations and rules for business and standardization for commerce and economics. Takeshi's structure for Japan's economics was something that both Adam Smith and Karl Marx would base parts of their own economic theory on. The entire article is extremely long, however the major points are.- The government action in Business would be that of minimal interference, and the economy would be more or less a free market one.
- One role the government would have is the breakup of Dokusen (Monopolies) The government would seize assets and would sell them to other 3rd parties. Most prominently was his work against big landlords.
- Competition was encouraged, and anti competition actions such as monopolies would usually be dissolved with government force. (often violent)
- Private banks were allowed, however huge private banks were a danger and would be dissolved with government force.
- (1632) Stock trading was discouraged through heavy regulation.
- The new form of currency would be a paper one backed by gold.
Tax and Tariff code
In 1588 directly after unifying Japan reformed the tax structure so that no person could be exempt from taxes due to birth or privilege. The taxes, however, were made in such a way that many Japanese citizens did not have to pay anything in their lives, and this was due to how Takeshi had structured the code. The code stated that "Except in times of excessive debt, or war, the common citizenry shall not be taxed." The government would instead rely on tariffs put on foreign goods and exporting domestic around 5% for tariffs, and a meager 3% income and so the merchants were willing to deal with it especially after the Wokou pirates had been destroyed due in part to Takeshi, landlords and business owners would also be taxed, also with the 3%. Another thing that offset costs was the Kaishū system which allowed the government to work owned mines and do public works cheap. Mines would also be sold off to private owners who wanted them, usually for an extremely high price. When in times of war the citizenry was taxed, however this was also a meager amount, a 1% tax. The riches from thoroughly conquering the pacific after 1602 allowed the people, except for merchants (1%), to live tax free for near a century.- Except in times of excessive debt or war the common citizenry shall not be taxed, when taxed it is a 1% tax
- Exporting Domestic goods and importing foreign goods will have a tax of 5% on revenue of transaction.
- Merchants, landlords, and business owners will have a 3% tax put upon their revenue
- When the money in the government reserve are enough to offset costs for multiple annual costs then the taxation will temporarily cease, and taxes sent prior to realization will be sent back in full.
Kaishū System
The Kaishū System (回収システム, Kaishū Shisutemu) Was the system in place to punish those who broke laws. It translates literally into Payback System, the idea being that criminal acts and crime degenerated a great society, and as such perpetrators would be forced to payback their 'debt'. The most common punishment was a various number of years in hard labor, prisons were often discouraged as Takeshi saw them as unnecessary and wasteful, saying"That institution (referring to prisons) is worse than unnecessary, it is a waste, it allows criminals to gather with other criminals, and they sit in their cells doing nothing productive, living off taxpayer money." -Takeshi Mutō, 1589The crime would determine the punishment. For example murder would often get you sentenced to 30 years labor, murder of a parent or a superior would result in most usually result in the death penalty. Takeshi was a devout Buddhist, and thought that very few people were past a complete change, however he also understood that there were many who simply did not want to change, or would change for the worse and he believed that the world should be spared of their actions before it was too late.
Abolition of Slavery
In 1588 Febuary 12th just after Takeshi had taken power he enacted a law to ban all slavery. The law entailed that all slaves would be free, and all slaves would be sent back to their homelands. This did not go over well with the current slave owners who were making good money off of the sales to foreign customers, mostly Portuguese, and refused to give up their slaves or were attempting to sell them all hastily. Takeshi put out a statement saying slavers who refused to give up their slaves would be hung, many of them believed that he was bluffing and that no actual action would be put up against them as long as they kept pulling in money. They were wrong, Takeshi sent his Samurai out to capture them all, and many were captured and hung. Seeing that he meant business many slavers freed their slaves and ran away from Japan or turned themselves in. Ones who turned themselves in were given mercy and were sentenced to as long as they owned slaves in the Kaishū system, however in accordance with his own enactment to ban all slavery including government mandated slavery the imprisoned slavers were designated as indentured servants who's bill was the one given.Warriors code
In 1592, just before the pacific wars, Takeshi would enact the first idea of a war crime. These crimes would follow the bushido codes that he followed and he would apply this and make all the men under his command follow them.義, Gi, Righteousness
This can also mean right conduct or justice. The rule here would be that soldiers would conduct themselves in a certain way with morality. Killing of unarmed, theft, and rape were all crimes worthy of the death penalty.礼, Rei, Respect
Respecting your superiors and the rules they have put in place was essential. If you were caught being disrespectful publicly about your superiors then you would be punished accordingly.勇, Yū, Courage
Retreat was always an option, and many times an admirable thing, however if your retreat or unwillingness to engage in battle was known to have endangered your fellow troops then you would be punished accordingly.名誉, Meiyo, Honor
The idea behind this one is that you have both your own and the honor of your family on your shoulders. Doing something to screw it up wasn't viable for punishment if it didn't break the other rules, and overall this one was more a suggestion.仁, Jin, Benevolence
Your enemy was just that, your enemy, they are brave, smart, and good fighters but your enemy nonetheless. Anyone caught being overly cruel to the enemy would be considered a crime and would be punished accordingly.誠, Makato, Honesty
Be honest to your superiors, if you are caught being dishonest to them about anything you would be punished accordingly.忠義, Chūgi, Loyalty
Being disloyal to your Officer, General, Shogun, or Emperor would be considered a crime, and be punished accordingly. Disloyalty being refusal to follow orders, going AWOL, and sabotage. Overall, Takeshi made a point that all of his soldiers stayed behaved, and that the entire world would know Japan for their 'model soldiers'táoyuè 20 enactment
On April 9th 1590 Takeshi would put in place a new enactment which would allow every citizen in Japan to acquire firearms and other weapons. This was done mostly for national defense, as he knew that his new plans of war would take away much needed troops in Japan, and he wanted to supplement a military force at home with a militia of sorts. He would designate a citizen's right to own weapons as the first of many 固有の権利 (Koyū no kenri, Inherent Rights). More specifically the táoyuè 20 enactment would more specifically see these statements- Under no circumstances should a law abiding citizen's right to own a weapon of any type, kind, shape, or form be infringed by private or public controllers, and the right is an Inherent Right.
- In the case that a citizen is declared criminal by a court of law and professionals only then will the confiscation of their weapons be permitted.
- Any attempt to put in place a type of way to softly dissuade or chip away the Inherent Right of a citizen to own any weapon (Excessive qualifications for License, taxes, Ban on types) is a violation of sed Inherent Right and is not permitted.
bīngyuè 40th enactment
In January 18th 1594 Takeshi would enact regulations on 'houses of sin'. These 'sin houses' most famously include brothels and gambling houses The plan had been on Takeshi's mind since he first came into power, while gambling he always saw as bad, but he was more focused on prostitution describing the entire institution of prostitution as a "Degenerate system which will degrades society and destroys the futures of young men and women." He had been over it many times, however he knew no matter how much he wanted it a full out ban would be near impossible. Instead he worked on making a law which would put them on the road for failure. The January 18th enactment would enforce this list of laws.- Sin house owners would pay an extra 20% in taxes (縮退税, Shukutai zei, Degeneracy tax)
- Each month the buildings would be subject to a government commissioned inspector.
- Sin house owners would be required to have a comprehensive list of clientele and employees reported to the government.
- If a disease was known to have started from a brothel in particular the government had the full right to shut them down and prosecute the owner.
- Sin houses can not employ those younger than 20 years old.
- actions performed inside houses of sin (Gambling, prostitution, etc.) outside of a house of sin is illegal such as theaters and teahouses, both the client and prostitute will be prosecuted.
Inherent rights
On April 12th 1605 many of his advisors and other politicians had pointed out that Takeshi used the term 'Inherent rights' in many of the enactments and documents he made and they asked him to identify and describe all of the Inherent rights of a human being. On April 20th he would come back with a full document of them, many permutations and such are mentioned however the 5 main points being.- The right of a person to have the freedom to say, do, practice, and act in any way which violates no laws is an Inherent right and should not be infringed by anyone, including the government in any way shape and form.
- The right of a person to own, purchase, and use any kind of weapon in any way which violates no laws is an inherent right and shall not be infringed by anyone, including the government in any way shape and form.
- The right of a person to own and do with his own property as he pleases in any way that violates no laws is an Inherent right and shall not be infringed by anyone, including the government in any way shape and form.
- The right of a person to never be held in slavery at any moment for any reason is an Inherent right and shall not be infringed by anyone, including the government in any way shape and form.
Kiyoshi Sawaya is quoted as saying
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"Takeshi was a master of dancing around a full ban, he was never a fan of banning something outright and knew that attempting to do so would not work, and so instead he taxed them, he regulated them, he put them on a road to destruction without laying a finger on them." Kiyoshi Sawaya -1650
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