徳とく政せい

noun

benevolent rule; debt moratorium

Historical term. In ancient China and early Japan, it referred to virtuous governance. In medieval Japan, it specifically meant a government-ordered cancellation or reduction of debts, often to relieve samurai or commoners.

• 鎌かま倉くら時じ代だい、幕ばく府ふはしばしば徳とく政せい令れいを出だして借しゃっ金きんを帳ちょう消けしにした。

  In the Kamakura period, the shogunate often issued debt-cancellation edicts (tokuseirei) to wipe out debts.

• 「徳とく政せい」という言こと葉ばは、本ほん来らいは為い政せい者しゃの善ぜん政せいを意い味みした。

  The word 'tokusei' originally meant benevolent governance by a ruler.