The Japanese Difference Flashcards
TOKUGAWA CONTEXT
Japan was isolated for 250 years (no trade, only with Dutch) and was governed by the Tokugawa family, emperor was the shogun; moved the capital to Edo; “pacified” 260 rival daimyo and their samurai
SOCIAL CLASSES
in order:
samurai
peasants
artisans
merchants
OUTCOMES OF THE TOKUGAWA
the centuries of peace led to economic burst of activity: more rice grown than ever, most urbanized country by 1750 (10% of population lived in cities), well functioning markets, emerging economy, Confucian-based education (40% of men were literate and 15% of women)
SAMURAI AND MERCHANTS
samurai were basically useless because there were no wars»_space; many became bureaucrats and assistants to their daimyo; they had high social status but almost no money
merchants were the opposite - often gave loans to superior classes (low status but high wealth)
PEASANT MIGRATION
many peasants moved to the city to become merchants and artisans (big no-no) and lived a very “inappropriate” lifestyle; shogun demanded that luxuries were not for them but that was ignored
CORRUPTION AND REVOLTS
social instability increased as wealth spread throughout the social classes; some peasants gained enough money to ‘trap’ the elite; government corruption and failure to respond to 1930 famines»_space; peasant revolts and the burning of Osaka in 1937
MEIJI RESTORATION/BLACK SHIPS CONTEXT
Commodore Perry demanded reopening of ports, refueling of US fleets, and humane treatment of castaways through his black ships in Tokyo Bay 1853; Japan agreed to various unequal treaties»_space; less respect for the shogunate»_space; Meiji Restoration in 1868 (political takeover by young samurai); 15 year old emperor wanted to eliminate the shogunate and industrialize defensively
> > all of this was good timing as the Ottoman Empire, China, and the US Civil War attracted far more attention
NEW GOVERNMENT AND SOCIETY
national unity was a big goal»_space; removal of daimyo and samurai»_space; governors appointed by and responsible for the national government
they collected taxes and raised armies that included all of the social classes; everyone became equal commoners
REMOVAL OF TRAVEL AND TRADE BANS
travel and trade restrictions were lifted; there were some samurai rebellion (1887); no more privilege for the “elite” so they went to the bureaucracy or the army
WESTERN INFLUENCE AND BORROWING
selective borrowing from the West: Constitution of 1889 was heavily influenced by Germany, election of parliament, political parties; but Emperor still had ultimate power
modern-education system rose up and Shinto status elevated
FEMINISM
some opposition to the oppression of women: Fukuzawa Yukichi advocated for education and equal rights in marriage, divorce, property rights, etc
most women were good housewives and most of the textile workers were young women (some were sold by their family to support themselves)
STATE SUPPORT
created railroads, banking systems, national currency; most of the labor relied on the abundant workforce rather than machines
industrialized around firms called “zaibatsu”; became major exporter of textiles
HARSH OUTCOMES
peasants fell into poverty»_space; infanticide, most factory workers were young women (bad wage, bad working conditions), many strikes and anarchism
Kanna Sugo killed for conspiring to kill the Emperor
JAPAN AND THE WORLD (CONFLICTS)
- Anglo-Japanese Treaty in 1902 declared Japan to be an independent state and nation
- Defeated China (1894-1895) and Russia (1904-1905) which showed that Japan could compete with the rest of the world; replaced China as the major power of SE Asia»_space; state-building in Manchuria, Taiwan, Korea
