Ch. 27 Discussion Questions
AP World History
1. Compare the ways in which
industrialization manifested itself in
Japan and Russia.
• The process of industrialism threatened traditional and social
hierarchies.
• In Russia, the aristocracy was threatened by the abolition of
serfdom, the creation of regional zemstvoes, and reforms of the
army.
• In Japan, there were similar changes: the samurai were almost
destroyed by the fall of the shogunate, the destruction of
feudalism, and military reform.
• Both nations used territorial expansion as a means of mollifying the
aristocracy and building support for the imperial government.
• The courses of expansion differed. Japan did not begin until the
1890s, after industrialization, as it sought to secure sources of raw
materials in Korea and Manchuria.
• Russian expansion began long before industrialization; one
primary motive was the securing of a warm-water port.
2. Compare Japanese and Russian
and Latin American independence
from the West.
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Both made conscious use of Western models in achieving industrialization,
and both incorporated aspects of Western culture in the process of
industrialization.
Both continued to trade with the West, so in a sense both were culturally
and technologically dependent on the West.
Japan's industrialization was more complete and was accomplished with
less foreign capital-and, thus, with less foreign control of development.
Japan, with the exception of a lack of raw materials, was more economically
autonomous.
Russia, even after industrialization, retained some of the aspects of
dependent economies, such as heavy foreign capitalization of industry and
continued reliance on agricultural exports to the West.
Both were involved in alliances that largely were the creation of Western
states.
The chief difference from Latin America was the successful industrialization
of Russia and Japan.
Latin America was less involved in Western diplomatic systems and in
colonialism. In cultural borrowing and the importation of Western capital,
there were greater similarities.
3. Compare Japan and Russia during
the process of industrialization.
• Both Japan and Russia were late entrants into
the industrial movement.
• Both followed similar patterns, state-supported
transportation systems, banking, factories, and
individual land ownerships.
• The differences came in the embracement of
Western ideals.
• While the Russian aristocracy remained
skeptical of the West, Japan embraced and
adopted many Western ideas.
4. Describe Russian reform and
industrialization from 1861 to 1900.
• A move to industrialization was part of the process of
change.
• In Russia, state support was vital, because it lacked a
middle class and capital. A railway system was created in
the 1870s; it reached the Pacific in the 1880s.
• The railways stimulated the iron and coal sectors, as well
as the export of grain to the West.
• Siberia was opened to development and increased
Russian involvement in Asia.
• Factories appeared in Russian and Polish cities by the
1880s, and the government quickly acted to protect them
from foreign competition.
• Under Count Witte, from 1892 to 1903, the government
passed high tariffs, improved the banking system, and
encouraged Western investment.
4. Continued
• By 1900, about half of industry was
foreign-owned.
• Russia became a debtor nation, but the
industries did not produce economic
autonomy.
• Even though by 1900 some Russian
industries were challenging world leaders,
the Russian industrial revolution was in its
early stages.
5. Describe the forces leading to
revolution in Russia by 1905.
• Russia had continued imperialist
expansion through the 19th and into the
20th century.
• Russia encountered the similarly
expanding Japanese and was defeated in
the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905.
• The loss unleashed protests in Russia.
Urban workers and peasants joined liberal
groups in the Revolution of 1905.
6. Describe Japanese reform and
industrialization from 1853 to 1900.
• Japan adopted a Western-style army and navy.
• New banks were established to fund trade and provide
investment capital.
• Railways and steam vessels improved national
communications.
• Many old restrictions on commerce, such as guilds and
internal tariffs, were removed.
• Land reform cleared the way for individual ownership and
stimulated production.
• Government initiative dominated manufacturing because of
lack of capital and unfamiliar technology.
• A ministry of industry was created in 1870 to establish
overall economic policy and operate certain industries.
6. Continued
• Model factories were created to provide
industrial experience, and an expanded
education system offered technical training.
• Private enterprise was involved in the growing
economy, especially in textiles.
• Entrepreneurs came from all social ranks. By the
1890s, huge industrial combines (zaibatsu) had
been formed.
• By 1900, Japan was fully engaged in an
industrial revolution.