Japan History Notes
02/09/15
Video Notes - The Meiji Transformation
1.Importance of Iwakura mission?
2. Importance of educational reform and its gov’t controlled curriculum?
3. Popular Government – a Reality? Repression?
4.1890s and 1900s – growth of political parties
5. Silk industry modernisation- relevant? Importance of Japanese textiles? Patterns of rural- urban migration?
6. Importance of heavy industry?
7. Modernisation – how?
Extra Notes
02/09/15
Video Notes - The Meiji Transformation
1.Importance of Iwakura mission?
- San Francisco railroad cross-country
- Recorded through a daily diary discomfort and admiration
- Worked in small groups, keen on Japanese to modernise following the West
- Germany most impressive (strong military) and the Japanese were impressed with European technology and governmental authority
2. Importance of educational reform and its gov’t controlled curriculum?
- Education reform was needed
- Self-reliance could help break down Japanese social classes
- Private academy was founded and they were taught Western education
- Helped develop higher education
- Western education - Modernisation and civilisation
- Compulsory primary education and teachers’ school
- 1880 3 million Japanese were receiving primary education
- Helped to build skill of labour force and government orchestrated
- 1886 New Minister of Education - 6 years of primary education and 4 were mandatory
- Aim for some students to go to Tokyo University
- 1900 95% of children were attending primary school
3. Popular Government – a Reality? Repression?
- Early 1880s Growing disconnect
- Frustration between samurai
- Frustration between common people for low wages and high prices
- Frustration towards social reforms
- Power struggles
- Late 1870s growth of people supporting a popular government
- Birth of ‘Freedom and People’s Rights Movement’ First political party
- Instead of freedom they got repression
- October 1881 Government was resigned and redesigned without Okuma
- 1890 Constitution and an Assembly would be designed
4.1890s and 1900s – growth of political parties
- Late 1880s
- 1890s Large thugs were used to scare people trying to win in the first political election
- Popular government won
5. Silk industry modernisation- relevant? Importance of Japanese textiles? Patterns of rural- urban migration?
- Silk production flourished and modernised - New labour and use of Western methods
- 1907 1 and a half million spindles of fibre being sold worldwide
- New class of urban workers’ - Bad conditions, low pay, urbanisation
6. Importance of heavy industry?
- Japanese heavy industry took longer to make but still improved
- Japanese remained as independent as possible using natural resources
- Hydroelectric power would be key to economic improvement
- Gas and electricity brought a new lifestyle
7. Modernisation – how?
- New desire to learn and a new determination to enjoy life
- 1872 First railroad
- Phenomenal growth
- Using trains travel was also very common
- 1860s Telegraph lines were set up
- New forms of enjoyment
Extra Notes
- 1860s beforehand was isolated and avoided the West
- Over 40 years Japan had modernised
- Young Meiji leaders were open to change and many were Western-educated
- Aimed to revise the Unequal Treaties imposed by the West on Japan
- Emulate - Not just imitate, make better
- 1912 Emperor died - His son took over
- New period - Taisho era