Meeting & Exceeding Expectations:Modernization Comes to Japan & Siam

A Series of Firsts: Meiji Restoration

1868

The First Step: The Charter Oath (1868)

• issued, not written, by Emperor• “defensive posturing”• audience: domestic & ABROAD• intentionally vague!• never outside the country• “gradual” development & change

The Meiji Restoration Officially Starts Here!

Start of Long Journey!“Victory” in 1910!

The Meiji Restoration

Taking steps towards modern Japan . . .

“Meiji Era” (1869)Edo renamed TokyoYen (¥) national currencyMove Emperor to Tokyo

Meiji Ishin

This = “civilized”This = opportunityThis = renegotiate

The Meiji Restoration: Who’s In Charge Here?

• Choshu, Satsuma, Toza• Had undertaken independent reforms• Of lower samurai status• Do not want Bakufu resurrection• Nationalism, politicize monarch• Have slogans, no clear-cut plan of attack• “Defensive development”• West has knowledge we need!

1. Samurai 2. Domains 3. Education 4. Politics 5. Industry 6. Military

“Men of High Purpose” - Shishi

CIVILIZATION & ENLIGHTENMENT

BE A SUCCESS!

“Bunmei-Kaika”

“Risshin-Shusse”

What’s The Ishin Plan?

1) Why is it called the Meiji Restoration?2) The Meiji Period (1868-1912)3) Who are the Genrō?

PLAN OF ATTACK . . .• Must modernize; renegotiate treaties• National goals - not individual ones• Hierarchy of needs: end internal struggles

figure out domestic issues lastly, “go international”

“[A hallmark of the period was] it’s disciplined searchfor models that would be applicable for a Japan in the

process of rebuilding its institutions.”

What Are the Ishin Challenges?

How can we change the Japan’s history?

1. Gain support of powerful domains2. Work with our relatives = networking3. Place key supporters in government4. Work with everyone . . . until strong enough to ignore them!

Where can we improve?- restricted society- isolation (trade, economics)- bloated, inefficient bureaucracy- internal division (domains challenge each other & central authority)

In a competitive world, educated &

united succeed!

Adios to Old Times: Goodbye, Domains

“Haihan” Technically, domains held in trustInitially, daimyo heavily consulted

- we accept your debts = samurai stipends- you are now appointed governors- focus on ability, NOT birth- you keep 1/10th of taxes

48 modernprefectures

“The lands in which we live are the Emperor’s lands. The people we govern are the Emperor’s

people . . . We now surrender our registers to the throne . . .”

2nd Revolution • Peer pressure! • A large carrot!

Adios to Old Times: Goodbye, Samurai

• too much bloat & NOT modern!• not based on “men of talent”• 1/3 NATIONAL INCOME = stipends

Resistance is futile . . .• do not foresee the Meiji changes that happen• not well organized• lack power and influence

“Under the Bakufu the problem had been one of employing as many of

the domain samurai as possible; now priorities were those of

efficiency & economy.”

Education Is The Key

“Nothing has more urgency for us than our schools; unless we establish an unshakable national foundation we will not be able to elevate our country’s prestige in a thousand years . . . Our people are no different from the American and Europeans of today; it is all a matter of education.” Emissary’s Diary

Tokugawa

+200 samurai schools 1,500 private schools

10,000 temple school

We Can Be Equals!

Meiji

28,000

Schooling is compulsory, uniform, purposeful!

Education Legislation

(1872)

(1890)

- 4 years mandatory- start at age six- boys and girls

- primary, secondary, university- some selective, state and local control

ImperialUniversity

NationalUniversity

SpecialSchools

RegularSchools

Ministry-controlled

Prefecture-controlled

Imperial Rescript on Education (1890)

• obedience to Emperor• follow the constitution (1890)• offer self to State (in times of trouble)

“Enrich the Country;” Cannot Do It Alone . . .

• oyatoi: “honorable alien employees”• engineering, education, art• laws, government, architecture• temporary, not permanent• foreigners = tutors/teachers• British, French, American, German

BUT CAN DO IT!

• (1877) 1st imperial car• (1878) 1st tunnel• (1890) 1st constitution

“Strength the military” = self-defense

(from defensive tooffensive)

“Enrich the Country, Strengthen the Military”

Conscription Law (1873)

Rescript to Soldiers & Sailors (1882)

- 4 yrs. service; 3 yrs. reserves- all males (20 yrs.) serve- exemption for 270 ¥

- to reinforce Conscription Law- first duty is loyalty- if you’re loyal, you’re not political- reduce gimi, increase gimu

(1886) cannot petition officials (1887) Peace Preservation Law

The Meiji Restoration: Review (15 pts.)

1. Summarize the Genrō’s initial plans of attack in terms of modernizing Japan.

2. Highlight THREE key areas of change, focusing on:

a) the pre-Meiji situation/condition/problemb) the Meiji solution/action/legislation

3. In referring to question #2, what was the greatest challenge to Meiji Japan and why?

“Enrich the Country, Strengthen the Military”

“Enrich the Country” = economicallyconscious efforts after 1880CONTINUITY begins: governmentinvolvement & zaibatsu growth

• national resource survey = by bootstraps!• only ONE foreign loan (railroad)• cut spending, sell government property, new taxes

Meeting & Exceeding Expectations:Modernization Comes to Japan & Siam

The One Domino Not

to Fall1851-1910

Like Father, Like Son . . . Saving Siam

King Mongkut (Rama IV, 1851-1868)

• desires change . . . eliminate slavery, better women’s status, modernize Siam’s bureaucracy• lacks support of royal princes• unable to internally promote change, welcomes farang (foreigner, Westerner) pressures – via unequal treaties!

Like Father, Like Son . . . Saving Siam

• Bowring Treaty (1855) justifies what he wants to do• 1st Thai king to travel outside nation• invites Western governess for children . . .• cedes territory but maintains independence!

Like Father, Like Son . . . Saving Siam

King Chulalongkorn (Rama V, 1868-1910)• 1st Thai king with Western education• meets generational resistance . . .

“Do you want an alternative to foreign rule?”

Like Father, Like Son . . . Saving Siam

Undertakes dramatic modernizing initiatives . . . - a cabinet system - centralize taxation

- abolishes slavery - abolishes gambling - reform law courts - salaried bureaucracy

- salaried police, army - 1st railroad (1896) - Western calendar - promote agriculture - promote education - banknote currency - political prisoner amnesty

“Be a Success!” In Politics: A New Constitution

(1875) First local elections(1890) First national elections

Constitution of 1890

EMPEROR

Cabinets

PM

Diet

• Emperor appoints all ministers, senior officials• cabinets (by function) independent of Diet• Diet controls the budget, has limited powers

• PM signs all laws; coordinates policies• lower cabinet officers chosen by service exams• no official Genro positions

“[Emperor] governs the people, he doesnot personally administer the state,” Ito

a) Army and Navy answer ONLY to the Emperor = problems?b) . . . “within the limits of the law”