This reform began in 1868 when Emperor Meiji established a new government, and the Japanese government carried out modern political reforms and established a constitutional monarchy. Economically, we should carry out "industrialized production", learn from European and American technologies, carry out a wave of industrialization, advocate "civilization", Europeanize social life, and vigorously develop education. This reform has made Japan the first country in Asia to embark on the road of industrialization and gradually become one of the world powers. This is the beginning of Japan's modernization and an important turning point in Japanese history.
Historical background:
Curtain crisis
/kloc-in Asia in the middle of the 0/9th century, Japan was in the last shogunate-Tokugawa shogunate era. The powerful Tokugawa shogunate carried out a "lock-in policy" against foreign countries, forbidding foreign missionaries, businessmen and civilians to enter Japan, forbidding foreign Japanese to return to China, and even forbidding the manufacture of ships suitable for ocean navigation. During this period, trade is only allowed with China, North Korea and the Netherlands, and only in Nagasaki. In addition, the Tokugawa shogunate also banned the spread of Christianity [2].
Before the Meiji Restoration in Japan, cottage industries or handicraft workshops began to appear in some economically developed areas. The system of "hiring workers" appeared in the workshop, and the bud of capitalism appeared. Its appearance impacted the feudal natural economy and fundamentally shook the ruling foundation of the shogunate. With the rapid expansion of the commodity economy, the strength of the merchant class, especially the financial operators, has gradually increased. Businessmen felt that the old system seriously restricted their development, so they began to call for the reform of the political system. Bourgeois celebrities (princes), warriors and businessmen who demanded system reform formed a political alliance, and together with grassroots farmers who opposed the shogunate, they formed the power base of "anti-shogunate". [2]
Black ship incident
1853, brigadier general MatthewCalbraithPerry of the U.S navy led a fleet into Puhe, near Edo (present-day Tokyo), and handed the letter written by President Mildred fillmore to the Japanese emperor to the Tokugawa shogunate, demanding the establishment of diplomatic relations and trade with Japan. History is called "Black Ship Incident" (also known as "Black Ship Founding"). 1854, Japan and the United States signed the Japan-US Goodwill Treaty in Kanagawa, also known as the Kanagawa Treaty, and agreed to open two ports, Shimoda and Hakodate, to the United States, except Nagasaki, and granted the United States MFN treatment. Due to the signing of a series of unequal treaties, the Tokugawa shogunate once again became the object of Japanese social crusade. Japan's feudal camp split, and the elements demanding reform among the middle and lower samurai formed an innovative force, calling for respecting the king and resisting foreign countries. The representative figures of the innovative forces are Yoshida Shōin, Takayama Shinzuo, Kubo Toshiichi, Koji, Saigō Takamori, Konan Yokoi, Yoshijiro Omura, etc., which are mainly concentrated in the southwestern strong vassals such as Changzhou (now Yamaguchi Prefecture), Satsuma (now Kagoshima Prefecture), Tosa (now Kochi Prefecture) and Feiqian (now Saga Prefecture and Nagasaki Prefecture). These vassal States had a deep contradiction with the shogunate in history, accepted overseas influence earlier, and were more active in introducing modern technology and promoting middle and lower samurai.
Establishment of reformists
At the end of the shogunate, capitalism sprouted economically, and at the same time, the so-called rich peasants and rich businessmen appeared. The innovative forces among the lower samurai and the ambitious people from the aristocratic families of farmers, merchants, United with the powerful princes in the southwest and the royal officials who were in conflict with the shogunate, and put forward the slogan of "respecting the king and rejecting the foreign countries", that is, respecting the emperor and driving away foreign invaders. Collaborate with western forces to assassinate the shogunate; Attacking western businessmen and diplomats in Japan; Attacking ships of western powers, etc. During this period, the revered faction still had illusions about the shogunate, did not explicitly demand the overthrow of the Tokugawa era, was severely suppressed by the shogunate army and western powers, and finally failed.
After the failure of the movement of respecting the king and excluding foreigners, many people of insight realized that the Tokugawa era must be overthrown in order to change the present situation of Japan and realize the prosperity of Qiang Bing. As a result, the movement of respecting the king and resisting the foreign countries evolved into an inverted curtain movement.
1864, Takayama Shinsuke rose up and seized the Changzhou vassal regime. Since then, Changzhou has carried out reforms under the auspices of Hiroyuki (Guixiaogoro), and the rebel movement has flourished.
The base areas of armed rebellion are also called the four clans in southwest China: Changzhou, Satsuma, Tosa and Feiqian.
Historical origin
/kloc-In the mid-9th century, Japan was still in a feudal society with a small-scale peasant economy. The emperor had no authority, and the power was in the hands of the Tokugawa shogunate, the third feudal military regime.
The Tokugawa shogunate carried out the "closed door" policy in Japan, which closed Japan's door to the world. Among foreigners, only businessmen from China and the Netherlands can engage in business activities in Nagasaki, the only open port, and citizens have no freedom of belief.
Social productivity is low and people live in poverty, but the shogunate rulers are still increasing exploitation and oppression. With the successive invasions of European and American invaders, Japan has fallen into a deeper national crisis.
Contradictions at home and abroad are intensifying day by day, and Japan, facing many crises, urgently needs a revolution to get rid of this dilemma. The people of Qiang Bing, who couldn't stand the oppression of the Tokugawa era and foreign invaders, demanded a "rich country". They took up arms and launched a vigorous "anti-curtain" movement. [4]
Inverted curtain movement
1In June, 863, the shogunate was forced to declare an invasion, and then American, British, Dutch and French warships shelled Shimonoseki (Shimonoseki War), and the British fleet attacked Samoa (Eagle War). 1In the spring of 865, Gao Shanxin, the leader of Changzhou anti-foreign faction, put forward the strategy of opening a port to discuss the curtain, decided not to mention anti-foreign, turned to armed opposition, and secretly formed an alliance with Samoans. At the same time, Britain also weighed the pros and cons, changed its strategy and helped the rebels. On the other hand, the shogunate took refuge in France and launched the second war to conquer Changzhou Francisco in July 1866. At this time, the people's uprising was surging, which dealt a heavy blow to the shogunate. Changzhou-Francisco joined forces to fight bravely and forced the shogunate to retreat in September of the same year.
1867 Emperor Xiaoming died, Prince Mu Ren (Emperor Meiji) succeeded to the throne, and shady forces actively allied to send troops. 165438+1October 8th Emperor's Secret Order was announced. 9, shogunate general Tokugawa Yoshinobu called for "the return of major policies". 1868 (the first year of Chen Wu) 65438+ 10. On 3 October, the Emperor issued "The Imperial Government Restoration", which abolished the shogunate and made Tokugawa celebrate "resigning from office and accepting land". On the 8th 10, Tokugawa Yoshinobu declared Osaka's "edict of restoring ancient ways" illegal. 1October 27th, 65,438, the imperial army with 5,000 men, mainly Saskatchewan and Nagano, fought fiercely with the shogunate army15,000 men near Kyoto (the battle between Bird Feather and Fujian), and Tokugawa Yoshinobu defeated Edo. The Wu-Chen war began. The emperor's army invaded the East on a large scale, forcing Tokugawa Yoshinobu to hand over Edo City on May 3, 1986, and put down the rebel governors in the Northeast at the beginning of 10. /kloc-in the spring of 0/869, the imperial army went to Hokkaido, and on June 27th, it captured the last stronghold occupied by the remnants of the shogunate-Wuling Kingdom (in Hakodate). The Chen Wu War ended and the whole Japanese territory was unified. From 65438 to 0877, the Southwest War broke out, which was the end of the closing movement and the aftermath of the Japanese bourgeois revolution. With the defeat of Samoyed troops in the Southwest War, the establishment of a feudal militaristic country led by the Emperor marked the end of the Japanese capitalist revolution.