HIST 3760 Lecture : HIST 3760A Modern Japan- Political Consolidation Under the Meiji State
Document Summary
The previous emperor had just died in 1867. 14: next best solution-> turn to the court nobles. They have experience-> with day-to-day procedures, collecting taxes, etc: council system was a more cabinet style of government, based on the west, turned out that most daimyos were bankrupt, so it was good that their debts were relieved. Due to the abolition of the daimyo domains, all taxes were then sent to tokyo (which is what edo was then called, its name changed). The whole class fell into state restructuring: there was a universal conscription- all men were to fight in battle. But according to the old idea of bushido, only samurai were allowed to defend the country. The idea of training peasants was dangerous- if they have the skill to fight by giving them arms and teaching them how to use arms, it could lead to rebellions. Schooling was costly- tuition was expensive, families would lose the labour of their children.
