H381 THE MEIJI REVOLUTION

The 5 "articles" of the Charter Oath point the direction in which Japan's leadership group believed Japan had to go. There was hardly anything resembling unanimity on issues and policies, but a consensus had emerged among various players that Japan should overcome “national humiliation” by foreign powers by building a “rich country with a strong army ( fukoku kyohei ). This antiforeign sentiment had been transformed from a crude form of explusionism ( jo-i ) to a commitment to strengthning Japan by mastering western technology and adopting western institutions and practices.

1. First order of business = to consolidate control over all Japan and to build a strong centralized government = Centralization of State, strengthening of Central Government controls

1868 Reconstituted an old Imperial Council, The Dajokan or Grand Council of State (see McClain pp, 157ff) as the chief planning policy-making body in the new government. Saigo, Okubo, Kido, Iwakura (from the Court), Ito and Yamagata were all Councillors in this body.

2. Surrender of Domain Registers 1869

3. Abolition of Domains 1871 ---> first 72----> then 48 Prefectures

4. New Education System 1872

Universal, compulsory education through elementary school

1877 attendance rates still low--below 27% but by the 1890s = 98%!

5. Universal Conscription System 1873

Conscript Army--Yamagata had learned that an educated and mobilized population behind the gov't was key to Western strength

3 yrs active, 4 yrs reserves; undermined role of samurai!

Emperor's image as father of nation, focus of loyalty cultivated

Posed in Western military attire as a role model

6. 1872 National Banking Act

7. Agrarian Settlement/Land Tax 1873

Monetary values assessed and assigned to the land;

New Land Tax at 3% of Assessed Value of Land--so not tied to size of the harvest--payable in cash, not kind/crop

7. Iwakura Mission and Korean War Issue 1873

Also ( Meirokusha ) Meiji 6 Society founded to introduce and discuss new ideas and texts from the west--political economy, education, philosophy, women's position, religion, etc.

Fukuzawa active in this group. Founds Keio Academy which evolves into today's Keio University.

8. Commutation of Samurai Pensions 1876

Gov't first offered to commute samurai stipends into gov't bonds; then made it compulsory in 1876;

Also outlawed the top knot and the wearing of two swords

Samurai rebellions resulted:

1874 Eto Shimpei in Saga Prefecture (formerly Hizen) rallied 3,000 samurai to join him; Okubo personally led the expeditionary force sent against him. Eto eventually captured and executed.

1876 Maebara Issei from Choshu rebelled; lots of support ("What have 1 million samurai done wrong?") but no match for the new government

1877 Saigo Takamori and the "Satsuma Rebellion" -- last of the armed samurai rebellions v. Meiji government

Others chose Political Opposition Groups 1874

Itagaki/Tosa/ Jiyuto - Ueki Emori

Nakae Chomin

Okuma/ Kaishinto

9. 1877 Death of Kido, Saigo;

1878 Okubo Assassinated

10. Political Crisis of 1881 Ito v. Okuma = the next generation

11. Date for a Constitution set--by 1890. In fact, the constitution was promulgated in February of 1889

H381 THE MEIJI REVOLUTION

1. First order of business = to consolidate control over all Japan and to build a strong centralized government = Centralization of State, strengthening of Central Government controls

1868 Reconstituted an old Imperial Council, The Dajokan or Grand Council of State (see McClain pp, 157ff) as the chief planning policy-making body in the new government. Saigo, Okubo, Kido, Iwakura (from the Court), Ito and Yamagata were all Councillors in this body.

2. Surrender of Domain Registers 1869

3. Abolition of Domains 1871 ---> first 72----> then 48 Prefectures

4. New Education System 1872

Universal, compulsory education through elementary school

1877 attendance rates still low--below 27% but by the 1890s = 98%!

5. Universal Conscription System 1873

Conscript Army--Yamagata had learned that an educated and mobilized population behind the gov't was key to Western strength

3 yrs active, 4 yrs reserves; undermined role of samurai!

Emperor's image as father of nation, focus of loyalty cultivated

Posed in Western military attire as a role model

6. 1872 National Banking Act

7. Agrarian Settlement/Land Tax 1873

Monetary values assessed and assigned to the land;

New Land Tax at 3% of Assessed Value of Land--so not tied to size of the harvest--payable in cash, not kind/crop

7. Iwakura Mission and Korean War Issue 1873

Also ( Meirokusha ) Meiji 6 Society founded to introduce and discuss new ideas and texts from the west--political economy, education, philosophy, women's position, religion, etc.

Fukuzawa active in this group. Founds Keio Academy which evolves into today's Keio University.

8. Commutation of Samurai Pensions 1876

Gov't first offered to commute samurai stipends into gov't bonds; then made it compulsory in 1876;

Also outlawed the top knot and the wearing of two swords

Samurai rebellions resulted:

1874 Eto Shimpei in Saga Prefecture (formerly Hizen) rallied 3,000 samurai to join him; Okubo personally led the expeditionary force sent against him. Eto eventually captured and executed.

1876 Maebara Issei from Choshu rebelled; lots of support ("What have 1 million samurai done wrong?") but no match for the new government

1877 Saigo Takamori and the "Satsuma Rebellion" -- last of the armed samurai rebellions v. Meiji government

Others chose Political Opposition Groups 1874

Itagaki/Tosa/ Jiyuto - Ueki Emori

Nakae Chomin

Okuma/ Kaishinto

9. 1877 Death of Kido, Saigo;

1878 Okubo Assassinated

10. Political Crisis of 1881 Ito v. Okuma = the next generation

11. Date for a Constitution set--by 1890. In fact, the constitution was promulgated in February of 1889