The top-down government headed by a hereditary ruling class was replaced by the principle of elected national and state executives.

通过选举产生国家和州行政长官的原则取代了由世袭统治阶级领导的自上而下的政府。

One of the things that made this hereditary class so interesting was that each samurai was entitled to an annual salary from the daimyo called a stipend.

让这个世袭阶级如此有趣的事情之一是每个武士都有权从大名那里获得称为津贴的年薪。