What was the Meiji Restoration?
Main Points
- Pre-Meiji: Isolated
- Post-Meiji: Industrialization
- Lack of Resources led to imperialism
- 1912: Emperor Meiji dies
- Centralised bureaucratic government
- Constitution
- Transport and communications
- Educated population free of class restrictions
- Growing industrial sector
- Powerful army and navy
- 1842: End of Opium Wars
- Led to Japanese worries about inferior technology
- 1854: Treaty of Kanagawa
- Led to two open ports
- Humiliated
- Other Western powers followed
- 1867: Satsuma and Choshu march on Kyoto, take control of government
- 1871: Government ministers travel to the West to gather ideas
- 1889: New constitution introduced
- Cult of personality developed around the Emperor
- Emperor in total control (from constitution)
- Genro(_): Close advisors to the Emperor
- 1890s: Japan abolishes unequal treaties
- 1894-5: Sino-Japanese War
- Japan gains Taiwan
- Korea becomes Japanese protectorate
- 1904-5: Russo-Japanese War
- Japan beats Russia
- First Asian country to beat European nation
- Social, Cultural, and Economic Changes during the Meiji restoration
- Goal of Meiji Reformers: Modern, independent japan
- Iwakura Mission of 1872
- Hirobumi Mission of 1882
- "Rich country, strong army" (fukoku kyo nei)
Economic Changes
- 1871: Government took on the debt of all domains ==> Samurai costs took up 50% of all expenditure
- Dismantled priviliges of Daimyo and Samurai to reduce govt costs
- 1873: National Land tax demanding cash
- Industrialisation
- Built model factories
- Started new industries
- Called for Business community to imitate
- Infrastructure (Shippinglines, railways, telegraph and telephonne systems etc)
- 1880s: lack of funds led to privatisation. Government businesses would get special privileges
- Zaibatsu system began
- Zaibatsus sold at a loss initially to compete internationally
- japanese Silk Industry domination, helped by the failure of the Italian Silk Market
