Nation Building and Political Struggles Who can participate? Who belongs?

Building New Institutions Rationalized bureaucracy Conscript army

Building new institutions schooling Rationalized bureaucracy Conscript army

Building new institutions taxes Rationalized bureaucracy Conscript army Mass schooling

Nation Building and Political Struggles Who can participate? Who belongs?

Tokugawa Political Legacy #1 Authoritarian, Elitist Tokugawa Ieyasu on peasants: like sesame seeds Aizawa Seishisai on “stupid commoners”

Tokugawa Political Legacy #2 Inclusive, Assertive, Pragmatic Daimyo opinion Rural study groups Rangaku: Dutch learning Urban information explosion “kawaraban”, publishing

Tokugawa Political Legacy #2 Inclusive, Assertive, Pragmatic Daimyo opinion Rural study groups Rangaku: Dutch learning Urban information explosion “kawaraban”, publishing Schools of Revolution: Yoshida Shoin

The Government Dilemma  Building “rich nation, strong army” (fukoku kyoohei) [ 富国強兵 ] Nation building projects Need to mobilize/integrate populace Yet, not lose control Delicate balance of cooptation and coercion

Charter Oath of 1868  1. Deliberative assemblies shall be widely established and all matters decided by public discussion.  2. All classes, high and low, shall unite in vigorously carrying out the administration of affairs of state. [or simply “high and low” ( 上下） ]  3. The common people, no less than the civil and military officials, shall each be allowed to pursue their own calling so that there may be no discontent.  4. Evil customs of the past shall be broken off and everything based upon the just laws of Nature.  5. Knowledge shall be sought throughout the world so as to strengthen the foundations of imperial rule.

Meiji era activism: Movement for Freedom and People ’ s Rights Voices from below Itagaki Taisuke

Meiji era activism: Movement for Freedom and People ’ s Rights Voices from below Itagaki Taisuke

Documentary evidence: The Way of the King Royal Perfection  Kōkyoku  皇極 People’s Perfection-> Minkyoku-> 民極 Capricious  Mukyoku  無極 Principled  Yūkyoku  有極

Movement for Freedom and People ’ s Rights Peaks in National movement for a parliament

Meiji era political agitation, activism Protests of Reaction Anti-draft riots Samurai rebellion

The Government Program: Coerce and Co-opt with the Constitution Ito Hirobumi The young Ito The great ItoThe real Ito

Promul- gation of the consti- tution, 1889

Documentary evidence: The Meiji Constitution CHAPTER 1. THE EMPEROR Article 1. The Empire of Japan shall be reigned over and governed by a line of Emperors unbroken for ages eternal. Article 2. The Imperial Throne shall be succeeded to by Imperial male descendants, according to the provisions of the Imperial House Law. Article 3. The Emperor is sacred and inviolable. Article 4. The Emperor is the head of the Empire, combining in Himself the rights of sovereignty, and exercises them, according to the provisions of the present Constitution. Article 5. The Emperor' exercises the legislative power with the consent of the Imperial Diet.

The Meiji Constitution Also crucial are:  Article 11, “supreme command”  Chapter 2, on rights of people  Article 37, on Diet  Article 55, on Bureaucracy  Articles 64, 71, on Finance and Budget

Interpretative Issue Authoritarian and Reactionary: road to war and militarism? Or Progressive and flexible achievement