History SL
5
Chapters
187
Notes
Case study 1: Japanese Expansion In East Asia 1931-41 (The Global War)
Case Study 2: German & Italian Expansion 1933-40 (The Global War)
Part 1 - Rivalry, Mistrust & Accord (The Cold War)
Part 2 - Leaders & Nations (The Cold War)
Part 3 - Cold War Crises (The Cold War)
History SL
Case study 1: Japanese Expansion In East Asia 1931-41 (The Global War)
The Meiji Restoration – a period of social & political change
641 words
4 mins read
Last edited on 5th Nov 2024
Table of content
Influences & concepts
- The Meiji Restoration, which began in 1868, marked a period of significant political and social change in Japan.
- As the Tokugawa shogunate (military government) lost power, the authority of the emperor was strengthened.
- A new constitution was promised, called Bunmai Kaika, meaning 'Civilization and Enlightenment'.
- The process was initiated by Emperor Meiji entering the Shinto shrine and explaining the new constitution to his divine ancestors, asserting that it would restore imperial authority.
Key components of the new constitution
- Voting Rights and National Diet
- Only a small percentage of the population was given the right to vote – just over 1.14% of men over 25 who paid above a certain amount of tax.
- The National Diet was a bicameral system composed of the House of Peers and the House of Representatives.
- The House of Peers included nobility, senior civil servants, and high-ranking military officers.
- The House of Representatives comprised elected members.
- The emperor could veto legislation and enact his own imperial edicts when the Diet was not in session.
- The Diet's purpose was to assist the emperor in decision-making.
- Role of Advisors
- A group of advisors called Genrōin played a crucial role, acting as a link between the emperor and the government.
- The Genrōin's role was not outlined in the constitution, yet they were influential.
- Military Loyalty
- The military was directly responsible to the emperor.
- Despite holding ultimate power, the emperor was not expected to make political decisions.
- Influence from Germany
- Japanese officials, including Itō Hirobumi, president of the Privy Council (advisors of the emperor), went abroad to find a suitable political system.
- They rejected the US constitution for being too democratic and 'smacking of disorder', and the British system as unsuitable.
- They chose the German style of government, which was more autocratic.
- Itō Hirobumi, an admirer of Bismarck, adopted the German chancellor’s opinion that 'popular sovereignty would be a very dangerous thing'.
- Ian Buruma described the new constitution as 'a mixture of German and traditional Japanese authoritarianism'.
Examples & application
- Choosing the Right Constitution: Just like shopping for clothes, you have to find the right fit. Japan's officials rejected the US and British systems to find a constitution that matched their vision, just like you might reject a pair of jeans that don't fit you perfectly.
- Link Between the Emperor and Government: Think of the Genrōin as a bridge between two islands. The emperor was on one side, and the government on the other. The Genrōin, although not explicitly mentioned in the constitution, served as that vital bridge.
- Military Loyalty: Imagine your dog only listening to you and not anyone else in your family. The military, in this case, was like a loyal dog that answered only to the emperor.
- German Influence: Think of Japan's new constitution as a blend of flavors from different cuisines. They took a bit of German autocracy and mixed it with traditional Japanese authoritarianism to create their own unique political recipe.
History SL
Case study 1: Japanese Expansion In East Asia 1931-41 (The Global War)
The Meiji Restoration – a period of social & political change
641 words
4 mins read
Last edited on 5th Nov 2024
Table of content
Influences & concepts
- The Meiji Restoration, which began in 1868, marked a period of significant political and social change in Japan.
- As the Tokugawa shogunate (military government) lost power, the authority of the emperor was strengthened.
- A new constitution was promised, called Bunmai Kaika, meaning 'Civilization and Enlightenment'.
- The process was initiated by Emperor Meiji entering the Shinto shrine and explaining the new constitution to his divine ancestors, asserting that it would restore imperial authority.
Key components of the new constitution
- Voting Rights and National Diet
- Only a small percentage of the population was given the right to vote – just over 1.14% of men over 25 who paid above a certain amount of tax.
- The National Diet was a bicameral system composed of the House of Peers and the House of Representatives.
- The House of Peers included nobility, senior civil servants, and high-ranking military officers.
- The House of Representatives comprised elected members.
- The emperor could veto legislation and enact his own imperial edicts when the Diet was not in session.
- The Diet's purpose was to assist the emperor in decision-making.
- Role of Advisors
- A group of advisors called Genrōin played a crucial role, acting as a link between the emperor and the government.
- The Genrōin's role was not outlined in the constitution, yet they were influential.
- Military Loyalty
- The military was directly responsible to the emperor.
- Despite holding ultimate power, the emperor was not expected to make political decisions.
- Influence from Germany
- Japanese officials, including Itō Hirobumi, president of the Privy Council (advisors of the emperor), went abroad to find a suitable political system.
- They rejected the US constitution for being too democratic and 'smacking of disorder', and the British system as unsuitable.
- They chose the German style of government, which was more autocratic.
- Itō Hirobumi, an admirer of Bismarck, adopted the German chancellor’s opinion that 'popular sovereignty would be a very dangerous thing'.
- Ian Buruma described the new constitution as 'a mixture of German and traditional Japanese authoritarianism'.
Examples & application
- Choosing the Right Constitution: Just like shopping for clothes, you have to find the right fit. Japan's officials rejected the US and British systems to find a constitution that matched their vision, just like you might reject a pair of jeans that don't fit you perfectly.
- Link Between the Emperor and Government: Think of the Genrōin as a bridge between two islands. The emperor was on one side, and the government on the other. The Genrōin, although not explicitly mentioned in the constitution, served as that vital bridge.
- Military Loyalty: Imagine your dog only listening to you and not anyone else in your family. The military, in this case, was like a loyal dog that answered only to the emperor.
- German Influence: Think of Japan's new constitution as a blend of flavors from different cuisines. They took a bit of German autocracy and mixed it with traditional Japanese authoritarianism to create their own unique political recipe.