Emperor Godaigo and his vassals had considerable interest in China and were influenced by Neo-Confucian (the Song-period teachings of Chu Hsi) arguments of ruler and ruled and of moral duties, and it is thought that they were trying to set up a dictatorship comparable to the Song-era administration.
後醍醐天皇やその近臣らは中国への関心や朱子学(宋学)的な君臣名分論の影響を受けていたとされ、宋代の官制との比較などから、君主独裁政を目指していたとも考えられている。