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The Meiji Restoration (1868-1912) - Coggle Diagram
The Meiji Restoration (1868-1912)
Military
Wanted a more organised, better-equipped military that was trained along Western lines.
Meiji gvt modeled the new army on the German army (best-trained in the world at the time [Prussia]).
Leaders of the army from the Choshu clan
Held the top position in Imperial Japanese army well into 20th century.
Introduced conscription in 1873.
Regardless of social class
Serve 3 years in normal army.
4 years in the reserves.
Forbidden to possess swords.
Impact:
Samurai lost their status and were no longer warriors.
Education
1871: Established MOE.
1872:
Gakusei (Fundamental Code of Education)
.
New national education system.
Compulsory education.
First national scheme of mass education in Japan.
Goals:
Establish 8 universities.
256 secondary schools.
53,760 elementary schools.
Set up specialised colleges (eg):
Medical.
Law.
Business.
Industrial schools.
Impact of mass education:
Create an educated work force, which meant that the industry could expand at a faster rate.
Politics
Feudal state --> Modern state
.
Nominally returned control under Emperor Meiji.
Encouraged Japanese unity in response to Western challenge. Emperor wielded no political power but he had long been viewed as a symbol of Japanese culture and historical. continuity.
1869:
Feudal lord had been requested to give up their domains.
1871
: These domains were abolished and transformed into prefectures of a unified central state.
The Diet (newly elected parliament):
Introduced a constitution, creating an elected parliament (Diet).
Purpose:
Provide a good environment for national growth.
Win the respect of Westerners.
Build support for the modern state.
1889 Constitution:
Given to the people by the emperor and only he or his advisors could change it.
A parliament was elected beginning in 1890, but only the wealthies 1% could vote in elections.
1925- all men allowed to vote.
Legal system:
Japan changed its entire legal system.
Adopted a new criminal and civil code, modeled after those of France and Germany.
Purpose of change:
To win the recognition of the Western powers and convince them to change the unequal treaties the Japanese had been forced to sign in the 1850s.
Outcome:
Western nations finally agreed to revise the treaties in 1894.
Acknowledged Japan as an equal in principle, although not an international power.
Industry
Abolition of feudalism effects
.
Millions of people were suddenly free to choose their occupation and move about without restriction.
By providing a new environment of political and financial security, the government made possible investments in new industries and technologies.
Taxation.
A national tax system was established that required payment in money instead of rice, which allowed the government to stabilise the national budget.
Gave the gvt money to spend to build up the strength of the nation.
Government built:
Railway and shipping lines. More than 2000 miles of railroads.
Trains in the cities.
Telegraph and telephone systems.
3 shipyards.
10 mines.
5 munitions works
53 consumer industries (making sugar, glass, textiles, cement, chemicals etc).
However
very expensive, therefore strained the gvt.
Solution:
1880: Gvt decided to sell most of these industries to private investors.
Thereafter, they encouraged such activity through subsidies etc.
Zaibatsu: samurai and merchants established major corporate conglomerates, which controlled much of Japan's modern industrial sector.
Encouraged foreign investments and globalisation.
Western Banking System
Military (Wars)
Created a strong military to be protected from foreign invasion and show its power to other nations.
Sino- Japanese War (1894).
Military became so strong and powerful that it won the war it fought with China.
Japan had claimed China broke the Convention of Tientsin by sending an army into Korea to help the King there quell a rebellion.
Russo Japanese War (1905)
.
Kept control over Korea and Manchuria.
Overall:
Japan became a very robust nation with as much potential as any Western country.