HIS 251: Spring 2000MEIJI JAPAN

Lecture OUTLINE

I. Description of changes.

II. CAUSES of this change (Main theme of the lecture)

III. Comparative discussion of nationalism: the experience of India and that of Japan.

I. Examples of Changes:

1. CULT of WESTERNIZATION: Exemplified by the ROKUMEIKAN and other social habits.

2. CHANGES IN GOVERNMENT: e.g. IWAKURA MISSION stay away TWO YEARS at a time when the new regime was really in its infancy.

3. Changes in the SOCIAL HIERARCHY: Removal of formal legal discrimination, end of legal and symbolic privileges of the samurai -- by the samurai themselves.

4. Domestically: the ATTEMPTS TO CHANGE FAMILY LIFE AND THE POSITION OF WOMEN IN SOCIETY.

5. Finally of course the major changes in the ECONOMIC FIELD: State takes active role in promoting industrial enterprise.

II. CAUSES

1. NO MONOCAUSAL EXPLANATIONS: CONJUCTURE.

2. IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUITIES as much as CHANGES in making the "MEIJI REVOLUTION."

Samurai disaffection: Exemplified by Fukuzawa Yukichi (1835-1901) in the Meiji era, but had roots in Tokugawa era.

Education and Commercialization, two hallmarks of the Meiji Revolution, also had origins in Tokugawa era.

3. WESTERN IMPACT and its contribution to NATIONALISM. Westernization AS Nationalism!

III. COMPARATIVE NATIONALISM: India and Japan

Importance of TIMING of western intervention, significance of an independent STATE.