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The Meiji period was Emperor Meiji’s reign in Japan from 1868 to 1912, which marked the end of the Tokugawa shogunate and a major shift in Japanese culture. The period saw major reforms in law, society, government, and economy, including the establishment of a representative assembly, a new system of ranks, private land ownership, and technological and military advancements. The Meiji period was a turning point in Japanese history, transforming the nation from a highly restrictive feudal society to an economic and military powerhouse.
The Meiji period is a term used to refer to Emperor Meiji’s 45-year reign in Japan, from 1868 to 1912. The Meiji period marked the end of the Tokugawa shogunate and was a major shift in Japanese culture. The Meiji period is sometimes called the “Period of Enlightened Government” due to the major reforms of Japanese law, society, government and economy that occurred during the Meiji reign.
The first reform of the Meiji period was the Five Charter Oath, established in 1868. The Five Charter Oath was designed to clearly state the objectives of the Meiji government in order to raise public opinion and support for the government. The Five Charter Oath included clauses requiring the establishment of a representative assembly, the inclusion of all classes in governmental decisions, freedom of social and professional mobility, reforms of the legal system to replace antiquated mores with more equitable and a greater commitment to education and knowledge. The Five Charter Oath paved the way for a more democratic form of government and a constitution that dictated the terms of that government.
The ruling classes underwent dramatic changes under the Meiji period, with new ranks established for people who had performed important services for the emperor. The earlier system of daimyo, or feudal chiefs, and samurai was replaced by a system similar to that in places like England, with princes, marquises, earls, viscounts and barons. Only 500 of the former ruling class were selected for the noble ranks, and many former daimyo found themselves ruling their former estates, rather than absolute rulers.
Land ownership also changed during the Meiji period, with the former holdings of the daimyos and the ruling classes reverting to the emperor. Eventually, private ownership of land was legalized and a system of tax and survey laws were put in place to codify ownership. Private citizens were able to hold and improve land, increasing the potential for social mobility.
The Meiji period also marked a push towards representative government and a limited House of Representatives was established, along with a Cabinet of advisers to the Emperor. The emperor still held supreme power, but the people had more influence over the government than they did under the feudal Tokugawa shogunate. The government also had a House of Peers made up of appointed nobility, and the Meiji Constitution was the main governing document in Japan until 1947. While there were many flaws in the Meiji government, it marked a positive step towards equal representation for all citizens. Japan also began to have a party system during this period and political parties were recognized as a vital part of government.
The Meiji period also marked immense technological advances in Japan, due in part to the hiring of foreign experts to assist the Japanese in creating modern technological systems. Japan has also sent young people overseas to learn English and explore other nations, then bring their knowledge back for national betterment. Soon, Japan controlled most of the Asian market for manufactured goods, moving from a position of relative simplicity to that of a leading power. As a result, Japan also expanded into markets previously dominated by Europe around the world.
In addition to economic modernization, Japan also modernized its military during the Meiji period, sending cadets overseas for training and organizing a much more efficient and highly trained army. This militarization later had tragic results, as Japan began to achieve a greater empire in the twentieth century. The Meiji period marks a turning point in Japanese history, when the nation entered the modern world and in a very short space of time transformed from a highly restrictive feudal society to an economic and military powerhouse. The rapid changes that Japan has undergone have been shocking to some citizens, causing a great cultural upheaval and a huge change in the Japanese way of life.
