Religious reforms and large-scale rebellions (via the case of the Honganji sect of the True Pure Land Buddhism)

The paper explores the economics behind two large-scale rebellions in Japan throughout 1532–1536 and 1570–1580, launched by a religious organization called Honganji. The paper argues that Honganji’s large-scale rebellions took off primarily due to religious reforms, particularly, the creation of an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Public choice 2024-09, Vol.200 (3-4), p.589-601
Main Author: Maltsev, Vladimir
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Buddhism
Economics
Economics and Finance
Incentives
Pardons
Participation
Penalties
Political Science
Public Finance
Rebellions
Reforms
Religion
Religious organizations
Religious reform
Spirituality
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Summary:The paper explores the economics behind two large-scale rebellions in Japan throughout 1532–1536 and 1570–1580, launched by a religious organization called Honganji. The paper argues that Honganji’s large-scale rebellions took off primarily due to religious reforms, particularly, the creation of an after-life pardon doctrine, which enabled the functioning of more potent incentives that fostered participation. First, the doctrine raised the costs of not joining a rebellion by excluding the non-participants and consigning them to hell. This resulted in immediate spiritual, social and economic penalties, as condemned individuals were considered religiously corrupt and were expelled from the sect’s temple towns and sect-dominated village communities. Second, the after-life pardon doctrine reduced the costs of rebellious participation by guaranteeing an instant rebirth in paradise after dying for the sect’s cause. As many individuals at the time saw the world through the lens of religion and spirituality, the guarantee of paradise was an especially potent incentive to join a rebellion.
ISSN:0048-5829
1573-7101
DOI:10.1007/s11127-023-01096-3