The Samurai Warrior and the Samurai Class

They Were the Bush/Kennedy/Rockefeller/Roosevelt's of Their Day...Sort Of

To be a Samurai warrior in ancient Japan meant much more than how it has been portrayed in countless movies, even those movies actually made in Japan. In truth, the Samurai class was highly respected, as well as feared, despite the fact that they made up less than 10% of the families in the country. Much like certain families in America—those with names like Bush, Kennedy, Rockefeller, Roosevelt—they were granted certain privileges not shared by the rest of the people. This privilege was not only granted, but—as with certain American families—haughtily expected. There is a difference between the Samurai families of Japan and the political and economic dynasties of American however. The Samurai families gained their due of respect courtesy of their warrior abilities obtained through centuries of near-constant fighting. Well, theoretically, there might be one more important difference: Anyone who failed to fall subserviently to his knees in the presence of a Samurai could be executed on the spot. Of course, we have no way of knowing whether anyone has ever been executed for failing to pay proper respect to members of the families mentioned above; we do know several have paid other less extreme prices for failure to pay respect.