Hijikata Toshizo Leadership Style in Leading the Shinsengumi Police Corps

Abstract

In 1853 began the arrival of a black ship led by Commodore Matthew Perry of
America who announced that Japan must open itself to foreign countries which
became the background of the Bakumatsu era. Due to the threatened position of
Tokogawa Yoshinobu, Tokugawa Yoshinobu formed the Shinsengumi to help him
maintain the leadership throne in the hands of the Shogun. Deputy Commander of the
Shinsengumi, Hijikata Toshizo was one of the figures who played an important role
in maintaining the position of the Tokugawa and Shinsengumi. So, with this study
aimed at describing the role, values applied, and Hijikata Toshizo's leadership style in
leading the Shinsengumi Police Corps.
Leadership is the ability to lead or leader to influence people who are led or
leaders to influence people who are led or followers - followers. So that other people
behave as desired by the leader. Sometimes distinguished between leadership as a
position, leadership is a complex of rights - rights and obligations - obligations that
can be owned by a person or entity (Soekanto, 2001: 318)
This type of research is descriptive. The object in this study is the Hijikata
Toshizo Leadership Style. The data collection technique used is the library research
technique which is done by: (a) classifying the data according to the research, (b)
analyzing the data that has been grouped descriptively, (c) concluding the data that
has been analyzed.
Based on the results of data analysis and discussion it was found that Hijikata
Toshizo was a figure who had an influence in the Tokugawa position during the
Bakumatsu period. Hijikata is a prominent figure in the authoritarian leadership style
who brought the Shinsengumi to become one of the Bakufu Police Corps which was
feared by the Sonno Joui Group. From this authoritarian Hijikata leadership style,
various kinds of conflicts and contributions to the Shinsengumi were won by the
Shinsengumi and brought the Shinsengumi to their success and are remembered
throughout history. Both in the first Roshigumi Conflict, the Ikedaya Tragedy, and
the Boshin War. Not free from the success of Hijikata with the Shinsengumi, Hijikata
also applies the values of Bushido which is a role model for achieving success from
the Shinsengumi. Although Hijikata was not a person from the Samurai group,
Hijikata managed to apply bushido values which became the basis of his life and
applied to the members of the Shinsengumi.
Keywords: Leadership Style, Hijikata Toshizo, Shinsengumi