How Did The Specific Revolution Caused By The Industrialization Of Japan?

By the end of the 18th century the industrial Revolution, introduced by the British, influenced major parts of Europe, America and other parts of the world, altering social systems, political relations and the economic structures (Stearns, 2). However, Japan’s delayed integration within the movement of the industrialisation, mainly caused by historical conjuncture, lead to its own “specific revolution” (2) bringing the modernisation & westernisation of Japan (Encyclopædia Britannica) – the Meiji Restoration. In 1866, after the shogun leaders of the Tokugawa dynasty - an authoritarian regime ruling for more then 250 years with a centralised feudal system, enforcing its local economy and highly limiting international trade through the implementation
The first article focused on the enforcement of public discussion and the necessity to establish assemblies in order to further win popular support (Charter Oath 23). The second and third article emphasised the abolition of the class system and with it the elimination of social discontent (Röhl 31). The last two articles declared to break off evil customs form the west and seek advanced knowledge throughout the world to reach the goal of advancement (Smith). The believe of Meiji’s government was that this goal can only be achieved if the country learned from the west and based their reforms on the western culture and ideas (Charter Oath
Under the supervision of western specialists (Wittner, 28), the government first introduced a new railroad network with improved connections to enlarged and renovated ports all over the coast. It then further organized the establishment of telegraphs, a reliable postal service and one of the most important fiscal institutions – banks (Asia for Educators). Subsequent to the change in infrastructure the Japanese government invested a high amount of money, gained through the high tax exploitation of peasants because of the land tax reform, in the import of modern western technology (Mc Neil & Mc Neil, 244). However, to further stimulate the modernization, Meiji and his advisors sold the shares of the government to the newly created private sector and thereby built the bridge between the private and public sector (Asia for Educators). In addition they revised the military structure in order to be able to compete with the western powers on one hand, and on the other hand to create a higher demand of recourses to accelerate economic growth (Sumikawa 10). One could therefore say that without the major governmental investments, and the infrastructural changes Japan would not have been able to modernize in such a short time