...“MEIJI ERA’s (1868-1912) IMPORTANCE IN JAPANESE MODERNIZATION.” Japan is a country that has never been colonised and was never colonised during the colonial period. It was governed by the Emperors, Shoguns, Daimyos and the Samurais through the feudal structure of governance with the Emperor as the head of the hierarchy. It maintained its isolationist policy and never opened-up to the outside world for centuries and was in a stagnant stage in terms of development. However, in the 19th Century it dumped its feudal past and subsequently emerged stronger and economically superior after the rubbles left behind by the Pacific War in the 20th Century. Japan showed her strength in the two World Wars. Japan is now ranked one of the world’s largest power/economy behind The United States and China. It is regarded as a distinct civilization of its own, with very unique history. To fully understand present day Japan and its economic miracle, critical investigation needs to be done on its past history to see where its foundation of modernity and industrialization has been laid. When investigation was done, it showed that the Meiji Era (1868-1912) is considered to be the upward trajectory that fired-up Japanese industrialization and helped establish its modernization path. This started when Japan’s pre-modern political system and its feudal society (1603-1865): the Edo Period, led by the Tokugawa Shogunate, with its band of radical samurais was ended in 1868. The Tokugawa Shogunate/central...
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...CASE NO. 1 NOGO RAILROAD NOGO RAILROAD CASE ANALYSIS FORM I. PROBLEM Dave Keller, the new Communications Manager, has seek for external perspective on how to address the challenges in Nogo Railroad. After hearing the facts from Dave, we have identified the problem is “How will Nogo Railroad effectively address its employees’ concerns that will bring about a reduction in labor expense?” There are Macro and Micro Level problems to be considered. When these are effectively addressed, Nogo Railroad may be able to resolve problem mentioned earlier. A. MACRO 1. Innovation and Modernization. The company lacks the desire to innovate and modernize operations which tolerated inefficient and ineffective processes or practices. It is not a surprise to see Nepotism and Featherbedding. 2. Union Contracts. Poor negotiation of union contracts has left the company with liabilities. Changing the job description to make it relevant to times, is a restricted/limited by these outdated contracts. 3. Culture towards change. Resistance to change is not only prevalent in its employees. This also transcends in management (see problem#1). The leaders should embrace change and support its employees affected by the change. B. MICRO 1. Personal Doubts. The apprehension felt by Dave Keller needs to be address. His concerns towards his promotion and purpose should be resolved by Allan Yates. The new Communications Manager will only be effective if his...
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...This essay is an attempt to explain and discuss the characteristics that define a modernised individual/society in psychological, economic and political aspects. Furthermore, it will give a critique as to whether a school is the most potent force through which values can be cultivated. And finally the conclusion will be made. According to Toulmin (1990), a society is a group of people who live within some type of bounded territory and share a common way of life. This way of life is known as culture, and it includes their beliefs, norms, values, sanctions and customs. While been modernised means to be evolutionary transitioned from a pre-modern or traditional to a modern individual/society. The late concept of modernisation became popular in the 1950s. W.W. Rostow claims that societies have to pass through a linear process in order for them to achieve modernity, just as Europe did. Science and formal education takes a centre stage in the development of an individual/society. The individual is encouraged to come-up with scientific innovations on how best they can keep on developing their life in society, Finn (1993). The ...
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...Future of Modernizations SOC/120 January 8 2012 Modernization manifests itself in the U.S. In many different ways. The reading suggest Peter Berger defined the key factors of modernizations as being an increase in diversity, a decrease in traditional communities, more awareness to personal choice, and a look towards the future and realization of time. One main key feature in modernization manifesting itself is the fact that most of the population lives in the bigger parts of cities. 80 percent of the population according to population bureau, 2010. Their statistics showed that individuals would much rather live in bigger cities, even after knowing that health care pollution were greater in these places. The studies showed that rural areas can give one a healthier living standard, but people continue to choose to live with consequences that the may be encountered with. I think that people do not even realize the difference between the two, they just find that living in the bigger cities makes their life seem easier. The statistics also showed that the individuals that live in the bigger parts of the cities tend to rely on drugs and alcohol more than the individuals that choose to live in rural areas. I really do not see modernization trends changing anytime soon. Modernization has been happening for many years and has improved individuals life's over a period of time. I think that we have...
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...Analysis on the Business Opportunities Article: A village in a million The article, “A village in a million” written by “The economist” on December 16th 2010, shows a great insight into the Indian culture, highlighting with it the job opportunities that are beginning to arise as the country modernizes and with it how long-held and deeply embedded traditions are on the verge of becoming extinct. Shahabpur is a small village located in eastern Uttar Pradesh, India. For centuries defined by its ancient ways and unique and diverse culture it is slowly being modernized. Shahabpur is located very close to the tracks and therefore not far from cities such as Mumbai. As the world progresses at a rapid rate coincidentally so does India. The farming in Shahabpur doesn’t bring in enough income, realising this many fathers send their children to work in factories in bigger cities, such as Mumbai furthermore many fathers are giving up their agricultural ways and moving towards factory work too, bringing in as much as 200rupees a day, twice what they can bring in back home. The business opportunities that arise from this vast movement to industrial work, is the opening of many more stores in Shahabpur bazaar and the increased exchange in money. As money comes in, Shahabpur is growing; three local schools have been set up, with more children being able to attend because of increased financial stability in the family. Parents are now realising the importance of education...
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...those of the years following 1911 in China as 'revolutions'? Introduction The Meiji Restoration of 1868 in Japan and the Chinese Revolution of 1911 were responsible for producing an enormous amount of upheaval in both countries. Both nations were immersed in social, political and economic backwardness. In this context, both political episodes should be construed as an attempt to reverse decline and set the course for modernization. The main thesis of this essay is based on the notion that whilst there are some similarities between both political events, the main difference resides in the fact that the Meiji Restoration began the centralization of the mechanisms of governance and induced the social and economic modernization of the country. At the same time, the Chinese Revolution of 1911 did not succeed in engendering a sound system of government capable of reversing the country’s decline. The first part of the essay will deal with the main characteristics of the Meiji restoration of 1868. The second section of the essay will outline the main features pertaining to the Chinese Revolution of 1911. The third part of the essay will examine the similarities and differences between these two events, with the ultimate purpose of determining the qualitative differentiation to be made between the concepts of “restoration” and “revolutions”. The main characteristics of the Meiji restoration of 1868 The Meiji Restoration of 1868 can be interpreted as a concatenation of events that led...
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...minimized the need for direct military conflict between competing European powers. The newly modernized Meiji government of Japan sought to join these colonizing efforts and initiated discussions (Seikanron|(lit. "subdue Korea")) in Japan in 1873. This effort was allegedly fueled by Saigō Takamori and his supporters who insisted that Japan confront Korea's refusal to recognize the legitimacy of Emperor Meiji as ruler of the Empire of Japan, as well as for supposed insulting treatment meted out to Japanese envoys attempting to establish trade and diplomatic relations. In fact the debate concerned Korea, then in the sphere of influence of China's Qing Dynasty which elements in the Japanese government sought to separate from Chinese influence and establish as a Japanese satellite.[8] Those in favor also saw the issue as an opportunity to find meaningful employment for the thousands of out-of-work samurai, who had lost most of their income and social standing in the new Meiji socioeconomic order. Further, the acquisition of Korea would provide both a foothold on the Asian continent for Japanese expansion as well as a rich source of raw materials for Japanese industry. The arguments against such designs were outlined in Okubo Toshimichi's "7 Point Document", dated October 1873, in which he argued that action against Korea was premature as Japan, itself, was in the stages of modernization and an expedition would be far too costly for Japan to sustain. Okubo's views were supported by the...
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...Catherine Rios 3-2-14 Asian Civilizations In the film, The Twilight Samurai, Yoji Yamada reconstructs an ancient Japanese village by the characters demonstration of the same values and customs of the samurai, two other factors that help pull off the illusion of the time period are the architecture and economy. Seibei is nicknamed ‘The Twilight Samurai’ because he is a samurai and every night he returns home from work at twilight he isn’t like the other people he works with who go out after work. The Twilight Samurai is the love story of a low ranked samurai, Seibei, who rises to defeat not only a traitor, but the person who Seibei may later become. Of the many themes in The Twilight Samurai is light. When Seibei is sent to a fight to the death with Tanaka you see Seibei in the light and Tanaka in the dark. Seibei is a good person he always puts his daughters needs before his own and is an honest man. Once Seibei’s wife dies he does all he can to make sure he is always there for his daughters by returning every night at twilight and this is how he acquires the name of ‘The Twilight Samurai.’ Tanaka is a man who has been running his whole life and this has literally driven him to insanity. After Seibei has entered the house Tanaka is hiding in they both sit down and drink tea and Tanaka tells Seibei about his life. He tells Seibei how he used to be just like Seibei and he tries to scare Seibei into letting him go by seeing what the people who give them their orders have made...
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...Meiji Japan. In 1867/68, the Tokugawa era found an end in the Meiji Restoration. The emperor Meiji was moved from Kyototo Tokyo which became the new capital; his imperial power was restored. The actual political power was transferred from the Tokugawa Bakufu into the hands of a small group of nobles and former samurai. Like other subjugated Asian nations, the Japanese were forced to sign unequal treaties with Western powers. These treaties granted the Westerners one-sided economical and legal advantages in Japan. In order to regain independence from the Europeans and Americans and establish herself as a respected nation in the world, Meiji Japan was determined to close the gap to the Western powers economically and militarily. Drastic reforms were carried out in practically all areas. The new government aimed to make Japan a democratic state with equality among all its people. The boundaries between the social classes of Tokugawa Japan were gradually broken down. Consequently, the samurai were the big losers of those social reforms since they lost all their privileges. The reforms also included the establishment of human rights such as religious freedom in 1873. In order to stabilize the new government, the former feudal lords (daimyo) had to return all their lands to the emperor. This was achieved already in 1870 and followed by the restructuring of the country in prefectures. The education system was reformed after the French and later after the German system. Among those...
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...However, even though introducing many new concepts, Meiji government still managed to remind itself and its government that traditional values of Japanese would never be lost. In the Imperial Rescript, the emperor greatly emphasized that traditional values of Japan were primary in this revolution of education. Values such as respect to elders, obligation to achieve one’s fullest potential, and duty in a group are greatly demanded and upheld by...
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...The Meiji period (1868 to 1912) saw a major shift in childrearing practices. The Meiji Restoration in 1868 caused a surge of industrialization and modernization, directing the Meiji government to construct a nation-state, which cultivated nationalism and brought on the deification of the emperor. These changes led to the formation of a family model--the ie system. Within this system, since men were expected to “carry out orders” and die for the nation-state, motherhood began to be emphasized and respected as having the primary role of childcare, overshadowing fathers in the sphere of childrearing. Part of Japan’s transition to a modern society was the enactment of its first School Law in 1872 which established state-sponsored compulsory education, thereby replacing the role of fathers in giving their children a preliminary...
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...The Satsuma rebellion was a revolt of Satsuma ex-samurai against the Meiji government from January 29 to September 24, 1877, 9 years into the Meiji Era. It was the last, and the most serious, of a series of armed uprisings against the new government. Although the Satsuma Domain had been one of the key players in the Meiji Restoration, and although many men from Satsuma had risen to influential positions in the new Meiji government, there was growing dissatisfaction with the direction the country was taking. The modernization of the country meant the abolition of the privileged social status of the samurai class, and had undermined their financial position. The very rapid and massive changes to Japanese culture, language, dress and society appeared to many samurai to be a betrayal. Saigō Takamori, one of the senior Satsuma leaders in the Meiji government who had supported the reforms in the beginning, was especially concerned about growing political corruption. Saigo offered to go to korea and spur a war. A war would not only spur the strengthening of Japan's military, but would restore to the samurai their reason to be. When the plan was rejected, Saigō resigned from all of his government positions in protest and returned to his hometown of Kagoshima, as did many other Satsuma ex-samurai in the military and police forces. To help support and employ these men, in 1874 Saigō established a private academy in Kagoshima. Word of Saigō’s academies was greeted with considerable concern...
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...relatively peaceful coup on January 3, 1868, dubbed the Meiji Restoration, ushered in the Meiji Era, a time at which Japan underwent dramatic modernization that pushed it into the world stage. The stable, rigid Tokugawa shogunate, which had ruled Japan for 250 years in an era known as the “pax Tokugawa,” had given way to the emperor and his followers. By 1912, the end of the Meiji period, Japan had become a major world power. Xenophobic samurai watched as their country westernized itself, abandoning the policy of isolation that had characterized Tokugawa rule. They “still clung to their old ideal of sonno-joi [Imperial Reverence and Expel the Barbarians] and resented each step the government took to make Japan into a modern nation.” Many of these samurai had opposed the shogunate during the Bakumatsu period for the very purpose of expelling foreigners, having called themselves shi-shi (“men of spirit”). They championed the rule of able men and desired a greater role in politics. It was because “[t]he Restoration [had been] … like a tapestry, woven from the strands of multiple causes and conflicting motives” that daimyo members of the Hitotsubashi party had called for kobu-gattai, the unification of Court and Bakufu, and had challenged the Bakufu only when resistance appeared the only course of...
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...Examine the debates between modernization and dependency theory. Which one is more compelling? This essay will analyze the definitions of modernisation and dependency theory, the similarities and differences between them and it will evaluate which one is more convincing. Modernization is an imposing theory around many different disciplines for the reason that it attempts to explain how society develops and what variables are involved in the development and how society react to these changes looking at internal factors such as social and cultural structures. As Diana Kendall mentions, "Urbanization accompanied modernization and the rapid process of industrialization." (Kendall 2007) Modernization theory has developed in three different parts; the first part appeared in the 1950s and 1960s, when the dominance of materialistic western, individualist culture and individual achievement became the influential and dominant way of life during this period of time. The second part of modernization theory is part of the “idea of progress” that was accepted in the 1980s with the thought of people themselves could develop and transform their society. The last part of modernization theory takes place in the 1990s and it tries a more neutral approach without being in favor or against western modernization. Rather it attempts to expose the disagreements in the modernization process and to explain the consequences of modernity for individuals in contemporary society (Giddens, 1991a, 1991b)...
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...Name Professor Course Date Family Representation in the Lives of the Kimoto Family in “The River Ki” The novel, “The River Ki”, represents and accurately portrays three generations of a declining traditional family and how it changed in the modern world by spanning over sixty years, before, during and after World War II (1900-1960). The three generations represented by Hana who is seen as the apple of Toyono Kimoto’s eye (her grandmother) is raised and bred as a traditional Japanese woman, is married and gives birth to Fumio. Fumio is the next generation who despite Hana's efforts and wishes, rebels against the traditional arts and culture of her upbringing and ultimately her own daughter wants to learn more about the traditional, conservative lifestyle of a Japanese woman. In the novel, Ariyoshi establishes a strong link between women and the natural world in the context of a family. Each woman's life, (which is seen as a representation of a family generation) contrasts the others as the intense social and technological changes of the period affect their initially rural Wakayama Prefecture of Southern Japan. Changes Found in Family Hana is a girl about to enter an arraigned marriage to an ambitious man of a lesser family. The story begins with her very traditional, arranged marriage to a first born son in a town located down stream on the River Ki. Hana, the main protagonist, held tradition and superstition very dearly representing the initial Kimoto family’s attributes...
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