Chapter 6: How Did Rapid Change During
the Meiji Period Affect Japans Worldview?
How Did Japan Decide to Implement
Change During the Meiji Period
How Did Modernizing the Japanese
Political System Reflect a New Worldview
How Did Japan Change Its Economic
System
How Did Japan Change Its Military System
to Meet Political Needs
How Did Japan’s New Worldview Change
its Social Systems
How Did Japans Culture Change
How Did Changes in the Edo Period
Compare to Changes in the Meiji Period
Thinking About Your Island
As the leader of your island you have
decided to adopt some ideas and
technologies from other countries. You are
concerned as how you are going to
maintain the traditional culture you have
created
Select one of the values/belief that you would
want to keep as you change your island.
How are you going to keep it?
How are you going to convince others that this
value/belief is worth keeping
How are you going to make decisions and who
will be involved in choosing between the
traditional ideas of the island and the new ideas
you want to introduce
How Did Japan Decide to Implement Change
During the Meiji Period?
To secure Japan’s future, the leaders of
Japan borrowed ideas from Western
ideologies
Implemented aspects of Democracy
Elected representatives
Adjust society to an Industrialized nation
Public education was important for this!!!
Accepted new technologies
These rapid changes dramatically changed
Japans worldview
The values and beliefs about culture, social systems,
and political/economic systems
How Did Modernizing The Japanese Political
System Reflect a New Worldview? Pg 194198
The leaders of the Meiji government
decided to prepare for a constitutional
government
Did not want to rush into it
They needed to prepare Japan for such a
change
How Did Modernizing The Japanese Political
System Reflect a New Worldview?
To Modernize the government the oligarchy
decided that they would need to..
Unify the territory of Japan
Use models of government that could be
adapted to Japanese Needs
Change the social order so all citizens would
have the same loyalty and obligation to the
state
Create a constitution so the most important
Japanese values and beliefs would guide the
country in the future
How Did Modernizing The Japanese Political
System Reflect a New Worldview? Pg 194198
Individually read pages 194-198 and
complete the missing information on
the power point slides.
How Did Modernizing The Japanese Political
System Reflect a New Worldview?
Unifying the Country
The young leaders used their relationships with
samurai to help unify the former domains and
their military forces
The daimyos from Choshu, Satsuma, Tosa and
Hizen surrendered their lands and records to
the imperial government
They all asked to be placed under a set of unified
laws and regulations
1871 all the domains were abolished and
replaced by a prefecture system
Kind of like a large country
The Emperor was used as a symbol to create
nationalism in the newly unified nation
How Did Modernizing The Japanese Political
System Reflect a New Worldview?
Searching for a New Model of Government
The leaders wanted to be efficient and
economical with their new government
There was some disagreements
– Some wanted a liberal government, some wanted a
conservative government
They finally made a choice: The German-style
government
Strong cabinet and limited powers of parliament
Centralized Control
The new government was called the Dajokan
How Did Modernizing The Japanese Political
System Reflect a New Worldview?
Political Change Affects Social Systems
The government wanted people to be loyal to
the central state and Emperor, not the daimyo
They eliminated the hierarchical social order
Feudal class system was abolished
– People can now choose their occupations freely!!!
With these changes national unity was slowly
growing
How Did Modernizing The Japanese Political
System Reflect a New Worldview?
Creating a Constitution
Japan believed that they were a world leader
Strong and capable like any other nation
The leaders were in favor of creating a
constitution for these reasons
Strong European countries had one
They would be regarded as a powerful nation if they
had a Western-style constitution
It would unify Japan further
How Did Modernizing The Japanese Political
System Reflect a New Worldview?
Creating a Constitution
There was disputes as to what model Japan
should follow with their constitution
Former samurai, now called shizoku, were not
satisfied with the control from a central government
Wanted greater participation in government and
elected assembly
How Did Modernizing The Japanese Political
System Reflect a New Worldview?
The Constitution of Japan-1889
The Emperor is inviolable and above the law of
the constitution
Government ministers are responsible to the
Emperor
The Emperor has the power to
Command the military and forign policy
Disolve the Imperial Diet at will
The Imperial Diet is divided into two houses of
equal power
Citizens are granted the freedom of speech,
religion and association. However, the
government can withdraw these rights
How Did Modernizing The Japanese Political
System Reflect a New Worldview?
But there was trouble brewing...
3 political parties backed by different
newspapers were formed
They had public debates/violent revolts
The Meiji oligarchy created more restrictions
The government can sensor the papers
Public assemblies were banned
Peoples rights activists reacted by creating
organizations and clubs calling for a
representative government
How Did Modernizing The Japanese Political
System Reflect a New Worldview?
Reflect and Respond #3
Working together with a partner
Full sentences and paragraphs
How Did Japan Change Its
Economic System? Pg 199-202
Review of terms…
With a partner create/remember the definitions
for the following words
Barter Economic System
Feudal Economic System
Capitalism
Industrialization
How Did Japan Change Its
Economic System?
Thinking About Your Island
During your hundreds of years in isolation your
island used a Feudal-system based economic
system (all the wealth is located at the top of
your social structure and trickles down to the
rest via spending, paying for labor, ect). Before
you modernize your country you need to
change your economic system to a capitalism
based operation. Think of five ways that you
would be able to do that to your island.
How Did Japan Change Its
Economic System?
The ways to change from Feudalism
to Capitalism
How Did Japan Change Its
Economic System?
Under the shoguns, Japan had created a
very strong foundation to modernize and
become more industrialized
Road systems
Markets
Vibrant merchant class
Small businesses
Some banks
These were huge for Japans successful
modernization
Why??
How Did Japan Change Its
Economic System?
Although the Japanese were ready to
rapidly evolve, there were some restrictions
that would slow down the process
Trade agreements made with Western powers
They cannot lower the taxes on domestic goods and
raise taxes on foreign goods
– The Unequal Treaties……
Why would it be beneficial to Japan to lower
domestic taxes and increase foreign taxes?
Hint: Its on page 199
How Did Japan Change Its
Economic System?
Industrialization
In the beginning all the new industries and
manufacturing were government funded and
owned
This was needed to jump start Japans modernization
and catch up with the West
But this was really expensive for the Japanese
government
They sold all the industries and manufacturing to
private businesses but kept all military-based
industries
How Did Japan Change Its
Economic System?
Industrialization (cont)
Because the government-run industries being
sold to private investors a large part of Japans
major industries were controlled by private
companies
This reduced economic competition and worried
economists
– Why??
These private companies were called zaibatsu
and were closely tied with the government
This further increased support for Emperor Meiji
How Did Japan Change Its
Economic System?
Capitalism
In 1881 Matsukata became Japans Minister of
Finance
He believed that….
Japan needed to renegotiate the unequal treaties and
adopt new economic policies. Until those are done
the government needs to reduce spending
Create new taxes and lower the value of printed
money to raise more money for modernization
The government will not manage industries but create
conditions that will encourage private business
Create a Department of Agriculture and Commerce
and a State Bank
How Did Japan Change Its
Economic System?
The benefits of Matsukata’s policies were
not quickly felt in Japan
Many small farmers lost their lands
Many small businesses went broke
But at the end of the Meiji period Japans
national income doubled and was quickly
on its way to becoming a capitalist society
How Did Japan Change Its
Economic System?
What is a capitalist society?
Individuals/government are engaged in
business
Focus is on the entrepreneurs who
establish/operate companies
Goal is to make a profit by
producing/obtaining goods at a low price
and selling them at a high price
People work for wages and use it to
purchase goods they need/want
How Did Japan Change Its
Economic System?
The new “Western Based” Japanese
government helped the economy change
and grow by…
All four major islands were joined via railroad
and all roads were paved
Deeper harbors
Telegraph and phone lines
The brought in new technologies and foreigners
to train the japanese
Set up the Ministry of Banking to provide
subsidies to new businesses
How Did Japan Change Its
Economic System?
Reflect and Responding
Full sentences and paragraph form!!!
Why might lower taxes on imported goods such
as books and machinery but high taxes on
imported clothing been beneficial?
Mini Skills Assignment
A Speech to Support a Radical Thought
Thinking About Your Island
To help modernize your island you have
decided that you need to use your military
to do so. How would you use your military
to help modernize your island?
How Did Japan Change Its Military
System to Meet Political Needs?
Notes Assignment
With a partner read pages 203-206
completing the missing information on
the power point slides.
How Did Japan Change Its Military
System to Meet Political Needs?
To model after western countries, Japan
wanted a strong military for several
reasons
It would strengthen the government
Military is an extension of their political-military goals
They can also defeat internal opposition
Would be considered a minor nation by western
nations without military strength
This was needed to renegotiate the unequal treaties
Japan wanted to become a colonial power
Leaders needed a strong military to ensure they
can meet their political goals
How Did Japan Change Its Military
System to Meet Political Needs?
Japan decided to create a powerful navy
and army
Modeled after Britain's navy and Germanys
army
The new leaders of Japan had military
experience from past wars
Satsuma had built a strong navy
Choshu had built a strong military
Both used western models to train and develop
their armed forces
How Did Japan Change Its Military
System to Meet Political Needs?
At the same time Japan was building their
army the west was reorganizing and
rebuilding their own armies
How might this make Japan a little upset?
Timeline of a New Military
1870
An Imperial Guard is created with 30 000 troops
under control of the Emperor
1872
Japan sent its naval officers to Britain to study
their navy and ships. They also bought some
British ships but built some of their own
1873
New army used the French idea of conscription.
All men had to go into the army
1876
Japan used “gunboat diplomacy” on North
Korean to have them open their ports for trade
and sign an unequal treaty
Timeline of a New Military
1880
Japans army based on Germany: strict discipline and
tight admin control
1882
A new bushido code: loyalty to Emperor
This code was the same one that was used by the old
samurai class (now abolished!!)
1894
Japan took North Korea from China with a quick victory.
Made China sign an unequal treaty in their favor
1900
Japan aided western nations to put down a Chinese
rebellion against the British
This showed that Western nations saw Japan as an
important nation
How Did Japan Change Its Military
System to Meet Political Needs?
The national military change affected
Japanese worldview
Young Japanese men were forced to leave their
homes
They all received educational training
They brought modern technology back home
when they returned
They also brought home a new sense of
nationalism and loyalty to the Emperor
Reflect and Responding
Answer the following questions in complete
sentences and in paragraph form.
The military is part of the political and
economic element of worldview. How could
the military be used as a powerful tool for
reuniting citizens?
How were the traditional values and beliefs
of the samurai used to create a strong
military?
Thinking About Your Island:Social
Change
Because you have changed your economic
system and military system you need to
update your social system. What changes
would you make to have your social
classes work well with the newly modernize
island?
How Did Japan’s New Worldview
Change Its Social System? 207-210
With a partner complete the chart
assignment: Comparing Edo Social System
to the Modernized Meiji System
Due at the end of class
How Did Japan’s New Worldview
Change Its Social System? 207-210
When Japans leaders implemented rapid
change the social system was drastically
affected
The traditional feudal system was abolished
No ridged class structure
Individuals were free to better their own status,
change occupations, and move around the
country as they desired
A huge part of this change was the education
system that Japan used…
How Did Japan’s New Worldview
Change Its Social System? 207-210
The adaptations during the Meiji period
changed how Japanese society was
organized..
Iwakura mission discovered that successful
nations had a strong education system
Japanese citizens had to be educated for the country
to be successful
How Did Japan’s New Worldview
Change Its Social System? 207-210
The government decided that for the
people to carry out and accept these new
reforms and long-term educational plan
was needed
They used it to strengthen national and social
unity
Widen the support of the people
Ensure that the values of citizenship and duty
were taught
Technical schools were set up and elementary
became compulsory for all children
How Did Japan’s New Worldview
Change Its Social System? 207-210
In 1871 the government established a
Ministry of Education
Used to develop an national education system
Goal was to develop a system for all children
that would break down class and regional
identities and help raise the standard of living
How Did Japan’s New Worldview
Change Its Social System? 207-210
In 1884 Mori became the Minister of
Education
He restructured the national school system to
include universal primary and middle schools
Set up a system of universities
Government curriculum promoted strong,
common moral values, a strong national
identity, and loyalty to the Emperor
How Did Japan’s New Worldview
Change Its Social System? 207-210
Mori believed that universities should have
academic freedom
Promote students to be innovative
He established the Imperial University and a
second national university that was government
ran
Tuition was free for those who were accepted
Graduates automatically were qualified for
government jobs
How Did Japan’s New Worldview
Change Its Social System? 207-210
Why did the Japanese government decide that it
was important for everyone to be educated? How
did this aspect of the Meiji worldview differ from
the Edo worldview?
How did traditional values and beliefs influence the
new education system?
What do you think was the most positive change
from the Feudal Social System to the Meiji Social
System?
Write a short (1/2 page) paragraph explaining why.
Thinking About Your Island: Changing
Your Culture
Now after you have changed your social
system, political and economic system and
your beliefs and values in your island your
culture is drastically going to change. How
would your culture change in these areas?
Religion
Attitudes of your citizens
The ideas of citizenship and participation in
society
How Did Japan’s Culture Change? Page
211-213
The values and beliefs about Japanese
culture also changed during the Meiji
Period
The role of religion
Changing attitudes
Ideas of participation and citizenship
How Did Japan’s Culture Change? Page
211-213
What role did religion play?
Oligarchy wanted to make Shintoism the
national religion and part of school curriculum
If everyone had the same belief system it would
create better national unity
There was a bit of confusion…
Confucian virtues still being taught in schools, military
and through bushido
No matter what the government did many
people still practiced Buddhism and
Confucianism
How Did Japan’s Culture Change? Page
211-213
How Did the Attitudes Change?
Young intellectuals believed and promoted the
idea that if Japan was to succeed, the individual
had to succeed
Periodicals were writing about liberty and
individualism
This was contradictory to the old Japanese belief that
the individual was not valued but to work with the
group
How Did Japan’s Culture Change? Page
211-213
How Did the Attitudes Change?
The attitude towards Japan’s history changed
and a new sense of nationalism emerged
They used their rich history because the Meiji
government failed to renegotiate the unequal treaties
– Bitterness felt towards the west
They also felt that the move towards a western
lifestyle had gone too far and Japan was losing
its identity
Japanese writers argued for the virtues and
importance of being Japanese
Wrote about maintaining Japanese traditional values
How Did Japan’s Culture Change? Page
211-213
How did ideas of citizenship and
participation change?
With the new social system peasants had more
opportunities to become more involved in
society
Many became strong lobbyists and wrote to the
government
Before it was unheard of for a commoner to
complain to the government and demand more
This scared the Meiji government who felt that
was still a need of strict government control
over the country
How Did Japan’s Culture Change? Page
211-213
Japonisme
After Japan opened their borders to the west,
Americans and Europeans were entranced with
Japanese art and culture
Influenced western paintings, sculptures, graphic arts,
architecture, and ceramics
Soon the demand for Japanese art became a
cultural craze
Many people started to demand anything Japanese
for their homes
– Decorative art, interior design, furnishings, clothing,
literature and theater
How Did Japan’s Culture Change? Page
211-213
Reflect and Responding
Reading page 215 think of an area of
your modern life that Japan has some
way influenced. Write a short description
of how your life might have been if the
Japan would have never opened their
borders.
Full page in length. Paragraph forms.
Chapter 5 Review
End of Chapter 6: page 220-221
Do I Get It or Not-Chapter 6
Comparing the changes in the Edo Period
to the Meiji Period
Preparation for the position paper
Japan Unit Position Paper Topic
In your opinion, what was the event in
Japanese history that drastically
changed its worldview.