JAPAN INDUSTRIALIZATION

• 1. What were three key features of Japanese society before 1868?


  • shoguns, class structures/order, & intellectual pursuits
• 1. What was the economic problem Japan faced when American warships sailed into Tokyo Bay?


  • the shoguns relied on taxation from agriculture to keep the country going and to stay in power. over time, this did not produce enough money for the government, especially since the regional daimyo lords and samurai had to be paid. the only way to keep things going was to raise taxes on the peasants, who as a result were increasingly angry. this weakened the government of Japan at a critical time
• 1. Who were the Meiji, and what role did they plan in the industrialization of Japan?


  • Meji’s are the reformers who wanted to modernize japan
  • The Meiji played a crucial role in the industrialization of Japan by implementing a series of reforms aimed at modernizing the economy, infrastructure, military, and society
• 1. What is defensive modernization, and how is it different from other industrialization processes you have read about?


  • defensive modernization is when countries, such as japan, do excess industrialization to protect themselves from other foreign threats in markets
  • this approach differed from other industrialization processes in that it was driven by the perceived need for national security and defense, rather than purely economic or commercial motives
• Industrialization in Japan


  1. Development of a modern infrastructure to support industrial growth

  2. Government investment in building railways, ports, telegraph lines, and other infrastructure projects

  3. Improving transportation and communication networks

  4. Linking industrial centers with sources of raw materials and markets
• Industrialization in Japan


  Similar to industrialization in Europe and the United States
• The development of a modern infrastructure to support industrial growth was one aspect of industrialization in Japan that was similar to industrialization in Europe and the United States
• Japan's industrialization


  Rapidly modernizing and industrializing, challenging the dominance of Western powers in Asia and reshaping the geopolitical landscape of the region
• Japan's industrialization


  • Served as a model for other non-Western nations seeking to modernize and assert their independence
  • Led to increased competition with Western nations for markets and resources, contributing to tensions and conflicts in Asia and beyond
• Japan's economic rise as an industrial power had significant implications for economic strategies and development strategies of different states and empires
• • american forced imports made japan worry bc of what happened in china w/ western trades
• • japan tried to modernize bc of fear of what happened to china
• • civil war broke out briefly between the poeple who wanted to sustain japan culture and the people who wanted to modernize
• Meiji "Restoration" 


  Despite being labeled as a restoration, the Meiji Restoration was more of a revolution, as it involved the creation of a brand new government under the guise of restoring imperial power
• Government Propaganda


  The new government utilized propaganda to gain popular support, sponsoring national art and literature that praised the emperor and modernization
• Western Influence and Innovation


  Meiji Japan studied Western political structures but developed a unique form of government that combined Western industrial styles with traditional Japanese elements
• Industrialization and Modernization


  Japan rapidly industrialized and modernized, viewing the West as competitors and seeking to protect itself through defensive modernization
• Challenges and Solutions


  Japan faced challenges such as lack of raw materials and tariffs on its goods. To overcome these, the government brought business leaders into government, invested in industrialization with tax money, and sought new markets and resources
• Expansionism


  Japan pursued expansionist policies, forcibly taking colonies like Korea to secure resources and markets
• Industrial Economy


  Japan's industrial economy is characterized by large companies closely tied to the government, resulting in a unique industrial structure compared to Western countries
• Unique Place in Industrial Revolution


  While Japan fits into the broader model of industrialization brought by the Industrial Revolution, its unique history and industrial structure make its place within this system distinctive