Ryan Otto
Modern World History
Mr. Angus
February 24, 2015
Modernization of Japan
Despite having been largely isolated from Europe for the better part of two centuries, Japan still managed to completely modernize between 1868 and 1912. (Columbia). This unprecedented change in government, education, and industry can be largely attributed to the Meiji Restoration, which returned power to the emperor. In fact, without the Meiji Restoration and Japan's subsequent modernization, it is unlikely that Japan would be able to occupy it's highly advantageous position in the modern world. This can be observed through the economic mobility brought about by the Meiji Restoration, the advantages of avoiding Western imperialism, and the long term impacts of modernization.
Prior to the Meiji Restoration, Japan was a feudal state. The shogun ruled the daimyo, who ruled the samurai, who kept the peasants in check. In exchange for protection from the samurai, the peasants were required to work the land. According to H. Paul Varley of Columbia University, the allows for "very little commercial development" (Varley). The Meiji Restoration granted all citizens of Japan freedom of occupation, leading to innovations which stimulated the economy. One of the primary goals of the Meiji Restoration was the rapid development of industry, which it did by importing technologies and observing the practices of strong Western economies. According to the GRIPS Development Forum, the three most prominent of these practices were the creation and support of a strong private sector, the adoption of the cotton textile industry, and the development of the modern and indigenous sectors (Ohno, 54). Today, Japan's economy is the third largest in the world, just behind China and the United States. Without the economic mobility and support to the private sector which the Meiji Restoration provided, this economic growth would not have been possible.
It was not only economic development which allowed Japan to flourish, however. Without the restructuring of their military, Japan would have likely had some form of military interference from either Europe or the United States. Indeed, Japan's modernization can be largely attributed to the need to remain on an even footing to with the West. Japan's fear was that they would find themselves in a similar situation as China, subject to superior military power and unable to control their own trade. Japan was certainly successful in avoiding the same fate, and as such were left to regulate their trade and economy as they saw fit. Preventing the advancements of Western imperialism is a large part of what allowed Japan to modernize its economy. When looking at those countries which Europe colonized before they had a chance to modernize, there is a clear trend showing that the people indigenous to those countries typically lose out, usually due to inferior technology. The most notable example of this is the Scramble for Africa, in which European countries raced one another for territory in Africa. This resulted in the subjugation of the local peoples and the exploitation of natural resources. These countries were rendered incapable of modernization and ergo progress. For example, the Democratic Republic of the Congo only gained independence from Belgium in 1959, and to this day remains a country in turmoil (Cambridge University). While Japan did not have any natural resources to exploit, it is nonetheless clear that the West had great interest in developing trade relations with it. Had the Meiji Restoration not created a stronger military, it is entirely possible that Japan would have been faced with a situation paralleling that of either China or the DRC.
In order for the full impact of the Meiji Restoration to be understood, it is essential to look at the long term effects. Today, Japan is one of the most efficient and technologically advanced countries in the world. While not all of Japan's success can be attributed to the Meiji Restoration (much of Japan's significant economic growth occurred between the 1960s-80s), it certainly laid the foundation for a secure position in the world economy. The military powers of Japan acquired as a result of the Meiji Restoration also proved very useful to Japan insofar as its own imperialistic desires are concerned, though whether or not this can be considered long term or even considered a benefit is highly debatable. Again, in order to get an accurate picture of the impacts of modernization on Japan, comparisons must be drawn between it and countries which were unable to modernized. In this case, one of the best examples to examine is China. For clarification, a pre-modern economy is used to refer to an economy that is primarily based in agriculture. It was not until 1949 that the Chinese Communist Party came to power, and even this is cannot be said to definitively mark the beginning China's modernization. Because the country was so dependent on agriculture, the economy had grown stagnant and there was no middle class to promote growth (Hong Kong Economic Journal). It was not until recently that China was able to grow its economy, and this only came after Japan had decimated the country during the 1930s. Meanwhile, the economic mobility granted to Japanese citizens guaranteed a strong middle class and secure its position in the global economy while its military prowess managed to ensure that it was not invaded by any foreign powers. And even though China's economy is larger than that of Japan, the wealth distribution is very different. Japan has always prided itself on being a nation of middle class, whereas China's income inequality is staggering (. While income inequality has risen in Japan over the past two decades, it still pales in comparison to the inequalities seen in China (Journalist's Resource). While it is impossible to blame all of China's problems on a failure to modernize, this comparison certainly serves as an indicator of the long term effects of early modernization.
Because of the modernization brought about by the Meiji Restoration in 1868, Japan has been allowed to flourish. This is a direct result of increased economic freedom and the prevention of too much Western interference, the consequences of which are reflected in the long term effects of modernization. To some degree, Japan can serve as a model for developing nations to modernize. While the situations of mid-19th century Japan are not entirely the same as those of modern day developing countries (the world economy was not as well established 150 years ago), the lessons which Japan has to offer on the subject are valuable.
