MMW 14 Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Yasukuni Shrine, Meiji Period, Late Bloomer
18 Mar 2019
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Document Summary
The origin and function of nationalism in japan. Avoiding the pitfalls of the industrial west. The lessons from the 1848 uprisings in europe. Japan could not afford to risk such upheavals in 1868. Couldn"t withstand workers" strikes and riots because of foreign encroachment. Weak leadership because of the child emperor. The pragmatic master-planners behind the meiji reforms. Meiji goal of enriching the nation and strengthening its arms . Not out to elevate themselves, but actually trying to benefit the nation. Sent out students to study different government styles in the west. Prussian model of constitutional monarchy shaped by bismarck. Felt it was the best way to overcome some of the contradictions and challenges of the west. Didn"t take from the enlightenment ideas because in those nations, none of those ideals were met and were actually completely against those ideas. The german model was seen as the least hypocritical of the european systems.
