Property rights in medieval Japan
Subtitle: the role of Buddhist temples and monasteries
By: Mikael Adolphson & J. Mark Ramseyer
Contributors: Ramseyer, J. Mark, 1954-
Series: Discussion paper -- no. 584; Discussion paper (John M. Olin Center for Law, Economics, and Business) -- no. 584
Publisher: Harvard Law School
Published: 2007
Place of publication: Cambridge, MA
Language: eng
Number of pages: 16
Subjects: Right of property
Description: "Medieval Japanese governments only haphazardly enforced claims to scarce resources. Necessarily, this presented landholders with a void. To obtain the enforcement the governments did not offer, many turned to institutions affiliated with the fractious Buddhist church instead. Temples and monasteries enjoyed an exemption from tax on their lands, and controlled an array of financial and human resources with which they could adjudicate and enforce claims to scarce resources. To obtain access to that exemption and those resources, landholders "commended" their land to them, and paid them a share of the harvest. In exchange, the temples and monasteries exempted them from tax, adjudicated disputes internal to the estate, and protected their estates against external threats. Effectively, the temples and monasteries competed in a market for basic governmental services"--John M. Olin Center for Law, Economics, and Business web site.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 14-16).

Discussion papers published since September 1997 are available for downloading free of charge from the Olin Center web site.