How did Japan's isolation affect its feudal system?

Samurai dominated Japan instituted the practice of isolationism in 1600 in order to perpetuate its feudal system, which was the basis of power for the Samurai.





What the Samurai could not forsee was that within 200 years in Japan a new economic class began to emerge, and become more powerful and therefore relevant to the Emporer, and that was the merchant class.





The merchant class, with its ability to make and handle large quantities of money, slowly over a two hundred years period began to undermine the power of the Samurai and by 1868 demonstrated by its national influence on the political scene in Japan that the Samurai were redundant. In 1868 the Meiji Government outlawed the Samurai class, opened its doors to the world, and began a quick modernization program.





Essentially the 200 year period of isolation foisted on Japan by the Samurai ruling class extended the feudal system longer than in the rest of the world yet did not prevent the Japanese merchant class from overtaking the Samurai as more important for the Japanese infrastructure.





All of a sudden a Saki merchant or a Beer brewer was richer than a Samurai Lord and was able to gain more influence in the Emporer's court and in Japanese politics. The Samurai simply fell behind and could not or would not catch up.