Recent studies show that some revolts had aspects of social reform; motives, purposes and requirements of the revolts varied; and some of them did not take a form of revolt but a form of legal conflict, such as submitting signatures and written opinions in cooperation with Jiyu Minken Undo (Movement for Liberty and People's Right).
今日では世直しを求める側面や一揆の動機・目的・要求などに大きな差があること、全てが一揆の形態ではなく、自由民権運動との連携を通じた署名・意見書などの提出による合法的な反対闘争の存在などが分かっている。