The reforms enacted during the Meiji emperors rule brought about the modernization and Westernization of the country and paved the way for Japan to become a major international power. The era involved a complete change to that which had never existed before. These industrial towns created a need for lodging areas, food reserves and goods that could provide travelers or tourists with accommodation services. The enacting of a constitution and formalization of a parliamentary system of government. There were many causes for the Meiji Restoration, including rice inflation (samurai paid in rice), a decaying bureaucracy, increasing interactions with foreign technology. Japan replaced its feudalistic government, led by the Tokugawa Shogunate, with representative government; they copied Western ideas, including those of the nation-state and technology, with amazing successes and unified into a cohesive, educated, and aggressively expanding country. The basis for education was to make the citizens learned and also to counter the rapid changes that occurred in the modern world. The factors that show that the Meiji era was a transformation to a new era points out the issue of constitutional promulgation, a highly developed communication and transport system, a well established industrial system that employed modern technology with a refurbished military system and lastly an established democratic government. This was followed in 1898 by the adoption of the same surname for married couples under the Civil Code. The overall effect of the Meiji Restoration on Japan was that it brought Japan from isolation to a more modernized power. Many companies known worldwide were founded during Meiji Era. His downfall led to so many positive dramatic changes. Separation of Buddhism and Shintoism The main purpose of the policy of separating Shintoism and Buddhism was to change Japans official religion from Buddhism, which was the dominant religion in the Edo Era, to Shintoism. This was seen in different sectors of the government. Rickshaw The jinrikisha is a vehicleinvented in Japan, based on the Western horse-drawn carriage. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. One of the main contributing factors to Japans modernization was the emulation of Togukawa society and the Togukawa beliefs (Craig 150). Consequently, western technology was greatly employed by domestic companies to produce highly sophisticated products. Two breakaway provinces of Choshu and Satsuma, which had been shunned by the shogunate over the last few centuries, supported the rule over the emperor instead of the shogunate. A picture of Ginza, now part of Tokyo, in the 1880s. However, this triggered a movement to abolish Buddhism, which led to the destruction of temples and Buddhist objects. Both the sources of these changes and the way in which they made Japan "modern" provide the material for one of human history's more dramatic stories. They wanted to wipe out the color ofBuddhism from Shinto shrines by prohibiting the practice of Shinto-Buddhist syncretism and making Shinto shrines places that connected the emperor and the people. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. Unlike a tax at a defined rate per year, land reform creates the possibility of losing all one's land and the improvements in one go, i.e. It was of much respect to have educated friends during the Togukawas period hence this education extended into Meijis era. This was seen in the massive doubling in the infrastructure and production industry. As the Japanese modernized and formed a national identity, the ideas of Bunmei Kaika (civilization and enlightenment) and Fukoku Kohei (enrich the country and protect the military) combined with the newly created Meiji Constitution to shape Japan into a strong, militaristic country. This was also adopted for police and postal uniforms. When they heard that messages traveled through the wires, some people thought that the telegrams were delivered physically through the wires. https://www.britannica.com/event/Meiji-Restoration, Asia for Educators - The Meiji Restoration and Modernization, The abolition of the feudal system and all feudal class privileges, The construction of transport and communication systems. Initially, Japan was also biased in choosing the country to trade with. Japan's goal of achieving fukoku kyohei, "rich country; strong military", fuelled major political, economic and social changes during the Meiji Restoration. Japan had reverted back to a shogunate. Consequently, Japan expanded the trade to even powerful countries. Establishment of a rapidly growing industrial sector based on the latest technology. The reforms enacted during the Meiji emperor 's rule brought about the modernization and Westernization of the country and paved the way for Japan to become a major international power. Why is the Meiji Restoration important? Then, in 1904, Japan shocked the world by humiliating Russia in the Russo-Japanese War. She has a bachelor's degree in History, and a master's degree in International Relations. These major transitions created a more clear foundation for exercising democracy in the Japanese government. This therefore meant that the Japanese had the most powerful transformation which occurred within a single generation. In order not to be misunderstood about the new Japan, the new Meiji government, which was aiming at westernization, called Japans indigenous customs and beliefs evil and old customs and adopted policies to enlighten the peoples lost mongrel In accordance with the policy of the new government, local governments took the initiative to eliminate traditional lifestyle culture and folk customs, and many folk customs have been reduced or discontinued due to the effects of the policy of civilization. The Meiji Restoration stands as one of the turning points of Japanese history. The Japanese had no weapons to match the American firepower, so they had to agree with Perry's demand. Moreover, new government did not allow the Samurai males to carry along with them weapons that would act as a form of identification for them. That was followed, after the end of the fighting, by the dismantling of the old feudal regime. There were many causes for the Meiji Restoration, including rice inflation (samurai paid in rice), a decaying bureaucracy, increasing interactions with foreign technology. Causes of the Meiji Restoration. Many merchants gained financial knowledge that would be used during Meijis period. Omissions? The new national army put down early challenges from peasants and samurai rebelling in the countryside. In 1868 the political uprising that ended the military government of the Tokugawa shogunate is known as Meiji Restoration. This aspect was going to be very crucial but the leaders were dedicated to bring change in Japan. It knew the main brainstems of the economy. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonization by Western powers to the new paradigm of a modern, industrialized nation state . In addition, the country had gained a higher level of literacy at the time the Meijis era was about to begin. On the other hand, restoration would mean that these things existed before which is not the case for the Meijis era. Some even thought that telegrams were delivered through the power lines in the form of letters; thus, they waited at the nearby transmission tower all day for telegrams to arrive, bringing their lunch, laying out a mat, and sitting there. This put an end to the policy of banning Christianity, which had been in place since the early Edo period. Parallel to this was the Land Tax Reform, or chisokaisei, which removed the feudal regions owned by the regional lords and placed them back in the hands of the people. At the same time, a growing popular rights movement, encouraged by the introduction of liberal Western ideas, called for the creation of a constitutional government and wider participation through deliberative assemblies. We'll look closely at the causes, the major accomplishments, and the effects of the Meiji Restoration. This issue eventually led to the creation of an opportunity for revolution in the labor force. Postal system The postal system was started in 1871, running between Tokyo and Osaka. Thus, the Meiji Restoration was a combination of Western ideals reconstituted with traditional Japanese mores. The Meiji period that followed the Restoration was an era of major political, economic, and social change in Japan. This eventually led to their expansion. Their main slogan during the regime was Strengthen the military as a result of enriching the power. The Meiji Restoration was a major revolution that brought an end to over 260 years of feudal government. This Meiji restoration has given a lot of positive effects to the Meiji nationalism. It ended the roughly 700-year period of "samurai . These beliefs catapulted the Meiji regime into a more organized and democratic governance. They added coffee to milk as if it were a spice. In today's world, social mobility is largely. Corrections? To provide some clarity as to how the Meiji Era occurred, one must know two things: one, the term Meiji is named after the Meiji Emperor, who lived from 1852 to 1912 C.E., and reigned over the modernization of Japan; and two, Japan had existed for hundreds of years in relative peace with little contact from the outside world thanks to the Tokugawa Shogunate, or the military leadership that had been in charge of Japan since the early 1600s. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. A strong national army and navy became a main priority. This strong nature led to the rule and discrimination of traditional monarchies that surrendered at the end. During the Edo Period, mixed bathing in public baths was common. Economic Effects of Meiji Restoration. Following are the social changes brought about during the period of the Meiji Restoration. Matthew Hodge has taught English and Japanese at the high school level for 15 years and college for five. Under the emperor as a symbol of ancient Japanese authority, the people came together, and they began to think of Japan as a great and powerful nation that would be the most powerful country in Asia. Conscription system (draft system) The government also called this the blood tax.. This led to the Boshin War. Meat-eating (sukiyaki, beef hot pot) In the Edo period (1603-1868), Japanese people were not in the habit of eating meat, but beef hot pot became popular. These were all possible thanks to the nation's modernized military and industrialization systems as Japan adapted from Western nations as it aimed to become a world power. Bunmei Kaika is a term used to describe a social change and phenomenon that occurred in the process of Japans modernization during Meiji Restoration. Among those were: The Meiji period that followed the Restoration was an era of major political, economic, and social change in Japan. Countries that acted as partners were like the Great Britain. Previously, the children of nobles and samurai were the only ones allowed education by the bakufu, but this was changed to universal and free education. View history. A recognition that Japan needed western technology to prevent itself from being colonized. The government enforced local ordinances in various regions but it was not until the end of the Meiji Era, which was nearly 40 years later, that mixed bathing was diminished. There was another reason why the Meiji era became successful prior to the Togukawas era. Among other accomplishments, during the Meiji period Japan adopted a constitution and a parliamentary system, instituted universal education, built railroads and installed telegraph lines, and established strong army and navy forces. A privy council composed of the Meiji genro, created prior to the constitution, advised the emperor and wielded actual power. The Japanese phrase sonno joi, or "praise the emperor and expel the barbaric West," was present until the anti-Western movement was quickly quashed. It got rid of the feudal system and created the Meiji Constitution establishing a bureaucratic, centralized government. The feudal system was decaying, and factions were growing. The school attendance rate was 80% and the literacy rate was 90%, making Japan the most academically advanced country in the world. For modernization to be effective, the government thought it was necessary to raise the peoples level of education. They were able to create a centralized and bureaucratic government that created the Meiji Constitution in 1889. Meiji Restoration Dbq Essay. What were the causes of the Japanese industrial revolution? Modernization of the education system was one of the main goals of the new Meiji government. Universal education and industrialization helped build an educated populace with better transportation and communication technology. Yoshinobu mounted a brief civil war that ended with his surrender to imperial forces in June 1869. This sounds like an urban legend, but these stories were recorded. First, the army became more refurbished (Tipton 400). Japan's Meiji Restoration of 1868 had many effects on Japan and the world from 1840 to 1920. The formation of a national army. Grades 5-12: Analyze the internal and external causes of the Meiji Restoration. It is at this time that Japan was controlled by the Samurai and daimyo who had received power transition from Tokugawa era. They wanted to unite the country under a new, centralized government in order to strengthen their army to defend against foreign influence. Over 100 years after the Meiji Era, the first McDonalds restaurant, first Starbucks store, and first Apple retail store in Japan were all in Ginza. Reinstating the emperor legitimized the movement by connecting it to an old tradition that encouraged everyone to unify. Finally, the dual ideals of Bunmei Kaika or "Civilization and Enlightenment" and Fukoku Kohei or "Make the county rich and grow the military" combined Japanese aspirations for not only nationalism but also a forward-looking culture that espoused both technology and militarization. Creation of a well-developed communication system. Finally, industrialization became a major focus after seeing Commodore Perry's powerful ships and weapons. While a much more populated China had fallen into bloody civil wars and confrontations with the West, Japan's rise was markedly peaceful and successful, leading to further imperialistic expansion in the lead up to World War II. The Meiji Restoration began in 1868 to 1912 which transformed Japan society with western influence but . One of the these was the virtually bloodless end of the aristocratic warrior class known as the samurai. The major challenges that affected the Meijis rule were born by the negative effects of the Shogunate. MeijiRestoration was a significant Japanese event that happened in 1868bringing with it political economic and social change to the peopleof Japan (Jansen 781). In addition, the military adopted more westernized weapons and guarding tactics. The national army was created in 1871, and universal conscription meant that every Japanese man needed to serve in the military. A strong national army and navy became a main priority. The abolition of the feudal system and all feudal class privileges. In its place, a democratic social and political system was established based on constitutional law over the course of about 20 years, and it led to significant economic reforms and growth. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. This was like an assurance to the Meijis era because by the time the transition was taking there would be great achievements. Education, social class, and women's roles changed drastically when Japan began to modernize. Japan was so powerful that it ended up being transformed from a mere island nation to an imperial power by its own right and might. The revolutionary changes carried out by restoration leaders, who acted in the name of the emperor, faced increasing opposition by the mid-1870s. In addition, most small towns developed in bigger urban areas. The emperor, at the time, was a figurehead. Largely the handiwork of thegenro(elder statesman)It Hirobumi, the constitution established a bicameral parliament, called the Dietin full Imperial Diet (Teikoku Gikai)that was to be elected through a limited voting franchise. But in 1867, the 15th Tokugawa shogun resigned, and by 1868, the Meiji Restoration had begun. The effect was to vault Japan into the ranks of the world's great powers. This focus led to Japan having one of the most highly educated populations in the world. As a result, the shoguns lost credit, and the Meiji leaders came to power. Responding to those pressures, the government issued a statement in 1881 promising a constitution by 1890. The Japanese mainly relied on imported ideals during restoration in order emulate Western nations who, in the Japanese eyes were advanced and powerful. This period had been a form of generation that was more enlightened compared to the former era. This was commendable because it brought a lot of advancement not only in labor force but also in areas of research and creation of educational institutions. The Meiji Restoration (), also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to enormous changes in Japan 's political and social structure. Social changes during the Meiji Restoration are expressed through a special and generic term in Japan: Bunmei Kaika. Its literal translation is blooming of civilization but it was actually coined by Fukuzawa Yukichi as the translation of the English word civilization.. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. This focus encouraged Japan to build a modern nation-state that could stand toe-to-toe with the Western powers. READ: What happens if the law is impossible to follow? Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. This overlapped into the Meijis era hence forming the big banking facilities that were seen during the Meijis era. Great collaboration with the government and passion for development were the main contributors of the improved economy (Tipton 456). These people were better placed in the economic grounds than any other group because of their rich cultural heritage. An isolated, feudalistic island state in 1850, Japan had become a powerful colonial power with the most modern of institutions when Meiji's son, the Taisho emperor, took the throne in 1912. They were subordinate to the shogun and nominally to the emperor and the kuge.In the term, dai () means 'large', and my stands for myden ( . Social mobility refers to the movement of individuals from one socio-economic strata to another, followed by a change in their social status. The Meiji Restoration had far-reaching effects on Japanese society. "Social changes" during the Meiji Restoration are expressed through a special and generic term in Japan: "Bunmei Kaika." Its literal translation is "blooming of civilization" but it was actually coined by Fukuzawa Yukichi as the translation of the English word "civilization." Meijis era had a nonfunctional parliament at its inception. Age of Marriage in Japan -Legal and average ages. Then, the leaders of the restoration really went to work. Document #6: Overall Effects Based on the quotes and your new knowledge, what were the overall effects of the Meiji Restoration on Japan? First, the idea of sonno joi, or "revere the emperor and expel the foreigners," took hold with those that were against the decaying power of the shogunate. This effort alternatively was reflected in the economy of the country. As the Edo period continued and enter it's later years, the stability of the system was sha. Disclaimer: This is an example of a student written essay.Click here for sample essays written by our professional writers. Today the government of Shinzo Abe is making much of the anniversary. 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