The Shadow of the Excommunication Letter: The Code of Texan Society and the Postwar to High Growth Period

The Shadow of the Excommunication Letter: The Code of Texan Society and the Postwar to High Growth Period
Excommunication in tekiya society was the most serious punishment used to maintain order in the organization. Disrespect to one's boss or brothers, cheating on money, and serious violations of women's relations were considered an act that would destroy trust. Excommunication was not merely an exit, but a last resort to preserve the dignity of the clan and had the effect of imprinting discipline on its members. In the immediate postwar period, black markets and street stalls were places where people supported their livelihoods, but if they lacked control, their territory and trust would collapse. Excommunication was therefore essential for maintaining order. In the same way that the corporate world maintained discipline through disciplinary actions and dismissals during the high-growth period, the tekiya made excommunication a pillar of control. As time went on, the sanctions became more formalized and were announced with a single postcard, but their weight remained the same.
Letters of excommunication and letters of insulation remained in writing, with a black mark indicating room for reinstatement and a red mark indicating permanent banishment. In the 2010s, when gang exclusion ordinances were established nationwide, the excommunication letter itself was viewed as problematic, and the method of notification wavered. In some cases, they were treated as evidence in court, giving them social weight. The tekiya maintained their community through shin-no-kyo beliefs and sake-baiji, and their code bound them together with bonds that transcended blood ties. In an era when corporations bound people by contract, tekiya supported order through righteousness and excommunication, and reflected another picture of Japanese society from the postwar period to the period of rapid economic growth.