Aaron Johnson
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The 19th centaury saw a new desire by
Western empires to extend and expand their
power into East Asia. This meant that once
very isolated and closed nations were being
forced open an change became inevitable.
China’s Self-strengthening movement and
Japan’s Meiji restoration were similar in goals,
yet vast differences between them showed
why one of them was a success, and how the
other was the opposite.
SELF STRENGTHENING
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Backwards, more
traditional and confusion
ideologies. Save tradition
China wants isolation, still
believes foreigners are
barbarians, anti-western
feeling.
China’s leaders corrupt,
individual personalities
involved more focused on
personal gain than
nationwide gain.
China economically weak,
cannot finance reforms as
effectively
Blood-shed, violence
involved
MEIJI RESTORATION
▶Japan realizes weakness,
looks forward and pro-reform
to develop improvement.
▶Took influence from Western
powers to be more like them,
e.g. Dutch learning and also
military styles.
▶Decisions made by
consensus in a centralized
government, so no one person
had control over an area,
therefore decisions made in
interest of nation, not
individuals
▶Japan financially able to carry
out goals and reforms
▶No blood –shed, restoration
not a revolution
SELF STRENGTHENING
MEIJI RESTORATION
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 Main education
system:
Confucianism.
Traditional outlook
favored
 Only western factor
was that some
students were sent
overseas to study.
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Western education
adopted, especially
Rangaku; Dutch
teachings
Many students were
sent overseas to
universities.
Japan adopted
Western-style clothes,
Western technologies
and inventions like
clocks and railway
lines.
SELF STRENGTHENING
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China introduced
conscription
Modeled military on
western style
Low finance meant
inefficient army
Military still to weak
to deal with
foreigners
MEIJI RESTORATION
▶ Conscription but
mainly for peasants due
to blood tax
▶Western Style army,
decline of Samurai as a
class
▶High finance meant
better development of
army
▶Sino-Japanese war
proves Japans new
military strength
SELF STRENGTHENING
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Attempt to close
treaty ports
Low resources and
low finance meant
development of the
movement was
hindered
Tax was heavy on
public
MEIJI RESTORATION
▶Tax Reforms e.g.
No more pay by rice
sacks for farmers
▶Build up of
infrastructer and
industries boosted
Japans economy
▶New currency
introduced
▶Japans economy so
strong, almost
equaled many
European economies
SELF STRENGTHENING
MEIJI RESTORATION
▶Not centralized
▶Move backwards towards
traditional ideologies
▶Capitalization on changes
by politicians to attain
personal benefits for
themselves and their family
and friends
▶Basically in this
movement, the politicians
controlling and operating
were very corrupt
▶Centralized government,
emperor restored.
▶Decisions and laws made
by consensus so everyone
agreed
▶No corruption in the
government
▶It was not a revolution but
restoration, no opposition
and therefore no bloodshed
▶Government targeted the
restoration nation wide, not
just specific areas.
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Though the goals and the reasons for both movements
were similar, what set them apart was the way in which the
government went about it, the method of change was the
make or break. In China; the government was corrupt and
interested in self-gain, and therefore finance was not used
efficiently and the self strengthening movement failed with
the people, failed in the military and over all failure. In
Japan however, the centralized government saw that
before Japan could develop as a nation, changes all around
had to be made and finance distribution into all sectors;
military, economy, political and social were evenly and
fairly made and therefore succeeded well. Also, Japan saw
that their military strength increased as a priority so they
could get a foothold in the power vacuum in East Asia.