| Ben's post is somewhat right.
However, the situation he described is more likely a reason that many peasants (actually, more of the merchant class) joined the samurai. The era where more samurai abused their power came after the ninja already existed.
It is generally believed that the first ninja clan started from the remnants of a clan of samurai whose lord had been killed (or, alternately, a disparate group of samurai whose lords had been killed). These ronin grew tired of the way that ronin were generally treated, and ended up forming a clan, using the financial strength of members of the merchant class to build their new clan.
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"I don't have the knack of victory at all times. I have only learned how not to miss the right moment." Kenshin Uesugi
"If you confer only with people in your own circle (relatives and friends), their opinions will naturally favor you, rendering them useless." Tsunetomo Yamamoto
"In true dialogue, both sides are willing to change."
Thich Nhat Hanh
Hail Lord Ilpalazzo!
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