Honor and

Duty
How did social controls shape Japanese
identity and citizenship?

Honor and Duty in Our

Society
How important are the ideas of honor and
duty to you in your life?

Do you think about how your actions may affect

the honor of your family as a whole?

What are your everyday duties and how

seriously do you take them?

Do you hear people in our society use the terms

honor and duty very often in conversation?

At the beginning of the chapter you read the

story of Lord Asano and the 47 Ronin. Lord
Asano felt that Lord Kira dishonored him.
Obedience to authority was important to the
Ronin, but their duty to avenge their lords
dishonor and death was even more important
than the law.

Toward a Harmonious Society

The Tokugawa shogun did not create the
Japanese social structure. However they did use
its values and social controls to support and
protect their rule.
Social controls are the rules and customs in
society that regulate peoples behavior. The
purpose of social controls is to maintain order
in society.
The teachings of Confucianism played an
important role in the Japanese acceptance of
class distinctions. It taught that everyone had a
proper place in society. If everyone accepted
their duties and obligations, there would be
peace and order.
Confucius encouraged people to be modest and
study hard. In Edo Japan, samurai schools and