| Affected by the western modernization shock wave, Bakufu's regime was overthrown in 1868, which declared the arrival of the key modernization reforms. Why was Japan involved in the modernized tide? Why did Japan become the successful example of the non-western modernized mainstream? Japan's success cannot be attributed to Japanese mystic imitative ability, but the factors of pre-modern period contributed to Japan development. This article combined with the social structure theory advocated by the Marxist Classical Theory, investigates the social structure and changes of thought of Tokugawa Era. The article also describes the transformation from the seigniorial economy to the market economy, the instability of hierarchy system, the adjustment of Bukufu's regime, and the change of politics, economy and the thought development to analyze the social structure of Tokugawa Era and the motivity, effect and result of thought change and explore the advantages of Japanese modernization as well.The first part discusses the transformation from the seigniorial economy to the market economy. Tokugawa Era was the last stage of Japanese feudal society controlled by the seigniorial economy. Bakufu's regime inherited Warring States Period policy; farmers' land possession right was established; the exploitation relationship dominated the basic relations in Japan. In the early of Tokugawa Era, a large number of commodity economy elements have been contained in the seigniorial economy. Along with the development of the agriculture productivity, the seigniors collected high rents and changed them into money. They requested farmers to plant the cash crop, such as cotton, tobacco, rape etc..., which resulted in the commercialization of agriculture production and the development of handicraft industry. In Tokugawa Era, the metrology was unified. The population increased quickly, the land was reclaimed widely, the city became prosperous daily, and the national transportation network was established as well. The foreign trade increased although the blockade policy was carried out. With the extension of commodity production, the enhancement of work division,and the enlargement of circulation,the commodity economy presents an increasing tend undisputedly. At the end of the 17th century, centered as Osaka the national market was established, which meant that the seigniorial economy had to transform to the market economy inevitably. The second part focuses on the changes of the social hierarchy system aroused by the commodity economy development. The social hierarchy system consisted of samurais, farmers, workers and businessmen in Tokugawa Era. The samurais were the ruling class, accounting for 6.6% of national population. They owned a lot of privileges. They were engaged in the office and government, entitled to get the official's salary and obedient to the authority absolutely. The farmers were the downtrodden class, accounting for above 80% of national population. These "common people" among the farmers were the basically social and economic fundament, for they must submit the payment to seigniors. The businessmen, accounting for above 5%-6%, the bottom of the hierarchy system, were vassals of seigniors. In addition to the above four classes, there was a doggery class without any political right.In Japan, the status had a very important meaning. Loyalty was regarded as the link of various groups. Everyone is supposed to make the commitment to the group and be loyal to it, so the social hierarchy system specifies the organization method of people. As the development of commodity economy caused the new conflict in the social division structure, the samurais became poor gradually, while the businessmen grew rich increasingly. Businessmen were bound up in credit and established the early monopolized organization -----wholesale dealer's association, because they accumulated a lot of wealth in the economy activities. The samurais turned to the businessmen and the businessmen turned to the samurais. Penetrated b...
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