Chapter 6: How Did Rapid Change During the Meiji Period Affect Japan’s Worldview? Flashcards

1
Q

How did Japan Decide to Implement Change During the Meiji Period?

A
  • Leaders borrowed + adopted parts of Western ideologies
  • implemented aspects of democracy
  • believed they needed education to help modernize
  • embraced tech
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2
Q

Who was fukuzawa Yukichi?

A
  • author, educator, + business entrepreneur
  • Member of Iwakura mission + strong advocate for american style democracy
  • born in Osaka in 1835 to low ranking Samurai Family
  • Studied and taught Dutch
  • owner of influential newspaper and fought for women
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3
Q

What was Fukuzawa Yukichi beliefs?

A
  • People must develop a sense of personal value and strength
  • education and study will create opportunities for personal success
  • Governments should earn, in return government respect the will + needs of the people
  • Japan stand up to west with an understanding of its worldview
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4
Q

How did modernizing the japanese political system reflect a new worldview?

A
  • started to prepare for new government
  • imperial control moved from Kyoto to Tokyo
  • Tokyo more centralized for government
  • Emperor moved to Shogun castle once the Bakufu lost power
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5
Q

What did the oligarchy decide to modernize Japan?

A
  • must unify Japan’s territories
  • Look for model of government that could be adapted to Japanese ways
  • change social order so all will have same obligations and loyalty to their state
  • create constitution so that most important values +beliefs of Japan guide them in future
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6
Q

Unifying the Country.

A
  • Many Samurai fought to dethrone the Shogun
  • domains and institutions placed under a set of unified laws and regulations
  • petition called, “Return of the Registers”
  • All domains were abolished and replaced with a prefecture system
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7
Q

What did the leaders use as a symbol to help establish a nationalistic feeling?

A
  • Emperor
  • Daimyo gave up their rights and not guaranteed any rights
  • only person with rights was the Emperor
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8
Q

Searching for a new model of Government:

A
  • more Liberal supported French + American human rights
  • More conservative supported more German ways
  • oligarchy decided to look for centralized not democracy
  • adapted a German government with strong cabinet and limited powers of parliament
  • new government was called Dajokan after an ancient Japanese imperial institution
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9
Q

Political Change Affects the Social Systems:

A
  • Eliminated the hierarchical social order of Japanese society
  • Feudal class system was abolished
  • all Japan lived under same obligation: to be loyal to emperor + state
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10
Q

Why did Japan’s leaders want to develop a constitution?

A
  • most strong European countries had constitutions
  • west countries would see Japan stronger if it had a constitution
  • constitution would unify Japan
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11
Q

Creating a Constitution:

A
  • Many not satisfied with control of strong centralized government
  • Samurai not called Shizoku
  • People wanted more participation
  • 3 political parties supported by different newspapers were formed
  • political debates and violent revolts happened
  • new law allowing government to censor newspapers happened
  • in response people wanted a representative government
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12
Q

What did the Emperor announce with the new constitution?

A
  • Emperor is sacred and above all law
  • Government are responsible to the Emperor
  • citizens granted freedom of speech, religion, and association, but rights can be taken away
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13
Q

What does the Emperor have the power to do?

A
  • command military forces + control foreign policy
  • appoint cabinet members, judges + privy council members
  • convene and dissolve the Imperial Diet (parliament) at will
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14
Q

Describe the changes to the Imperial Diet (Parliament)

A
  • divided into 2 houses of equal power
  • Upper house called house of peers members selected for life by Emperor
  • Lower house consists of 300 members, elected by citizens for 4 years
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15
Q

How did the unequal treaties affect Japan’s economic system?

A
  • Japan restricted by unequal treaties
  • not allowed to lower taxes on domestic goods
  • not allowed to raise taxes on foreign goods
  • the unfair treaties made it hard for domestic trades to surrvive
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16
Q

The industries of Japan:

A
  • most new ones such as monitions, gunpowder, were for the military
  • other ones such as silk, textile, glass, and chemical plants
  • most industries were government owned/funded
  • within 10 years most of these factories, except the military ones, were handed over to private business
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17
Q

The private business of Japan:

A
  • reduced economic competition since large parton of the country’s major industries came under control of small private business
  • ^ worried some Japanese economists
  • the men owning these companies were called Zaibatsu
  • ^ closely tied to government + strengthened support for Meiji state
  • 1 famous companies run by Mitsubishi Family, today still is 1 of leading exporters
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18
Q

Who was Matsukata Masayoshi?

A
  • Minister of Finance in 1881
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19
Q

What did Matsukata Masayoshi believe in?

A
  • Japan needs to renegotiate the unequal treaties + adopt economic policies that will protect Japan
  • government will no longer actively manage industries. Instead, develop business + financial conditions/bank
  • imposing new taxes and lowering value of printed money
20
Q

What was the effect of Matsukata Masayoshi new policies?

A
  • many small farmers lost their land and several small businesses went bankrupt.
  • by the end of the Meiji Era, Japan’s national income had doubled.
  • Japan was quickly developing into a capitalist society
21
Q

What is a Capitalist Society?

A
  • Individuals or the government are engaged in business.
  • focus is on entrepreneurs who establish and
    operate companies.
  • goal is to make a profit by producing or obtaining goods at one price and then selling them for more money.
  • people work for wages not goods
22
Q

What changes did Japan made using the developed countries of the west as guides?

A
  • new railroads built to join 4 major islands
  • deep water harbours were created at Yokohama and Kobe.
  • telegraph + telephone systems were built
  • new tech + industries were imported as well as, 100’s of foreigners for teachers
  • Ministry of Banking was set up to provide subsidies to new businesses
23
Q

Why did Japan want a strong military?

A
  • A strong centralized army of obedient and disciplined soldiers would strengthen the government. So they can bring change
  • Without military strength, Japan will always be considered a minor nation
  • Japan wanted to become a colonial power
  • The leaders needed a strong military to ensure they could meet their political goals.
  • To defend
  • show the nation’s power
24
Q

Who did Japan used as models for new military?

A

British navy and German army

25
Q

What was the Military like?

A
  • Japan forced Korea to open its ports to trade
  • army based off Germany made new Bushido Moral Code
  • Japan attempted to take Korea from China and force China into unequal treaties in their favour.
26
Q

How did the lives of the Daimyo change?

A
  • The court nobility and the daimyo were merged into a single aristocratic class.
  • no longer could get money from their domains so, were given pensions + government took over any debts they had on the domains
  • invited to Tokyo were national banks located so, they could start new businesses
27
Q

How did the lives of the Samurai change?

A
  • Allowances reduced eventually eliminated
  • military conscription symbolised the end of their privileges + and their importance
  • allowed to turn into farmers, tradespeople, + business owners
28
Q

How did the lives of the Commoners change?

A
  • Feudal system destroyed, low class go rank up
  • intermarriage ban between them and the Samurai was lifted
  • were allowed to have surnames
  • Christians allowed to practice their religion
  • Lowest classes were raised to status of commoner
29
Q

How did the lives of the Farmers change?

A
  • given ownership of lands + allowed to grow whatever but, had to pay a 3% the on the land
  • When didn’t have money, they sold to richer farmers + turned tenant farmers
  • were forced to work with a bureaucracy that was impersonal + inflexible
30
Q

What did the 3% tax on the farmers cause?

A
  • More equitable tax but for some taxes rose and causes hardships
  • series of violent protests stopped by newly formed army
31
Q

How did the education change?

A
  • technical schools were set up
  • tuition for primary schools was paid by parents but, eventually became free
  • teachers taught so no variation in how they taught class everyone learned at same time/pace
  • The government curriculum promoted strong, common moral values, a strong national identity, and loyalty to the emperor.
32
Q

How was the Universities changed?

A
  • Tuition free for those who accepted into the government-run universities
  • graduates ^ were automatically qualified for jobs with government
33
Q

What is Canada’s education like?

A
  • compulsory and free for children between 6 and 16 years of age.
  • responsibility of each 10 provinces + 3 territories
  • by law, Francophone citizens outside Québec are guaranteed education in French
  • federal government is responsible for educating First Nations students in reserve schools.
34
Q

How did Japan’s religion change?

A
  • oligarchy wanted to make Shintoism the national religion and part of the school curriculum
  • hoped the people would discard Buddhism and Confucianism
  • There was confusion, because it virtues were still being taught in the schools, the military, and through bushido.
  • Eventually the government had to allow Buddhism as a religion.
35
Q

How did Japan’s attitudes change?

A
  • new periodicals + newspapers wrote ideals of individualism
  • people felt bitter towards the west
  • Japan was unable to renegotiate the unequal treaties
36
Q

How did Japan’s citizenship + participation develop?

A
  • many became lobbyists + wrote letters of protest to government
  • people felt/wanted to be more involved
37
Q

Japonisme:

A
  • Americans
    and Europeans became entranced with Japanese art and culture.
  • Japonisme influenced Western painting, sculpture, graphic arts,
    architecture, and ceramics.
  • Many famous European artists were
    influenced by Japanese art
  • The upper and middle
    classes in Europe soon demanded these goods for their homes and
    lives.
  • Westerns also inspired the Japanese
38
Q

How did the government change from Edo to Meiji?

A

Edo: Japanese politics was based on a feudal system.
Meiji: Feudalism was abolished

39
Q

How did the Land Ownership change from Edo to Meiji?

A

Edo: divided into domains that were the property of the daimyo.
Meiji: Domains were abolished

40
Q

How did the Taxes change from Edo to Meiji?

A

Edo: daimyo were required to pay taxes to the shogun.
Meiji: collected directly by the central government.

41
Q

How did the Military change from Edo to Meiji?

A

Edo: shogun had the largest army
Meiji: military service compulsory.

42
Q

How did the Foreign relations change from Edo to Meiji?

A

Edo: priorities of the shogun were peace and order.
Meiji: priority of the Meiji leaders was to build up Japan’s strength

43
Q

How did the education change from Edo to Meiji?

A

Edo: no government-run schools. Schools only for Samurai + commoners
Meiji: A Ministry of Education was established

44
Q

How did the Class structure change from Edo to Meiji?

A
Edo: The feudal system dictated strict class structure and social roles.
Meiji: The feudal system was abolished
45
Q

How did the culture change from Edo to Meiji?

A

Edo: Society was very traditional
Meiji: Society adopted many ways of the West but maintained most cultural traditions as well.

46
Q

Conclusion:

A
  • Japan wanted to be seen equal
  • Meiji Era ended with death of Emperor in 1912
  • many key advisers ^ committed seppuku when they lost their lord