3. Abolition of the Samurai Privileges
The Meiji government systematically dismantled the samurai’s unique social status and privileges. In 1871, the han system was abolished, replacing feudal domains with centralized prefectures, effectively ending the samurai’s hereditary stipends. The following year, the Haitōrei Edict prohibited the public from carrying swords, a right that had been emblematic of samurai authority. These reforms paralleled the global trend of dismantling feudal classes, leading to resistance from samurai who found their traditional roles and status undermined. (britannica.com)
