A Guide to Japan

Admiral Perry’s success at gaining concessions for foreigners in Japan resulted in the population becoming dissatisfied with the Shogunate and turning, instead, to the emperor. After the meiji (means governing clearly) restoration in 1868 Japan’s political elite were eager modernisers and successfully transformed the agricultural economy to an industrial one.  Chinas attempts to reform failed through lack of urgency.  The reforms of 1898 and 1901 to 1911 were too little too late and not always successfully carried out.  Two-thirds of China’s economy was agriculture.

China did not see the changes which were occurring in the world economy until the 1860’s and even then it could not agree on a strategy for self-strengthening.  It was not until the 1870’s that it recognised the importance of Western technology.  Partly this was due to Confucian beliefs that technological improvements were secondary to moral strengthening.  Furthermore, others saw technology being responsible for the moral corruption of the west, for example, mines and railroads digging up the dead which is a sign of contempt in Confucian thought.

The sheer size of China meant that western technology  was confined to the coastal treaty ports.  Internal China did not get to see the benefits of technology which led to suspicion.  Resentment of western privileges turned the Chinese against the West.  A series of unsuccessful wars made China’s problems worse because they inflicted damage and resulted in further economic debt.

Economic reforms were necessary to pay for the military power that would regain sovereignty and reverse the situation where raw materials were being send the west and finished goods being returned to China and Japan.  Making the very nations they opposed richer.

The Agricultural economy would play an important role in developing a market economy which would finance reforms.  It would provide government income through income tax, labour which could become an industrialised workforce as well as consumers. 

China’s agricultural capacity was badly damaged because of rebellion and lack of investment, output was low  and a series of famines and increase in the price of silver meant there was little marketable surplus.

Japan on the other hand increased agricultural output by investing in irrigation and drainage systems, tools and use of fertilisers.  They also improved the transport system and reformed the tax system.

European industrialisation had happened because of central government.  Japan had its own central authority that could provide investment.  In China because the imperial army was committed to suppressing rebellion local officials were allowed to run their own army paid for through taxes levelled by local officials.  The starved central government of the money needed to invest in a modernisation program.

Japan also heavily invested in education building technical schools that taught western techniques, but at the same time children were educated in social responsibility and the welfare of the Emperor all designed to give a sense of national pride.  A national syllabus ensured a uniformed education system.  In China technical schools were also set up that taught western techniques, but these were mainly attached to weapons factories.

To conclude China’s vast land mass and huge population made centralised reforms difficult especially as the large agricultural economy was unable to provide additional income to enable industrial reform.  Japan on the other hand was able to increase agricultural output greater than the needs of the population, creating a surplus that generated income that enabled the start of a modernisation program.