Revolution in Japan’s World View

1. Revolution in Japan’s World View Pyle, Chapter 6

2. Outcome of Bakufu Overthrow • Ideology (slogans) current during anti-Bakufu movement did not point to Meiji Restoration outcome • 尊王攘夷 sonno joi – honor the Emperor and expel the barbarians • 王政復古 osei fukko – imperial government and a return to antiquity • Foreigners in Japan expected • Fight amongst anti-Bakufu forces to establish new bakufu • Renewed anti-foreign movement, return to sakoku 鎖国

3. Civilization and Enlightenment • Instead of new sakoku, program of de facto Westernization • 文明開化　bunmei kaika • Adoption of (largely) foreign models • Pyle p. 79 • Bring in foreign advisors – お雇い外国人 • Study missions to foreign countries • Continuation of pattern followed by some fiefs before the Meiji Restoration, even the Tokugawa itself

4. Foreign Models • Relatively minor role for the US • “Primary school system” not a national model but rather US state model • Sapporo Agricultural College (札幌農学校) Japanese idea with charismatic US teacher (William Smith Clark) • National banking system soon largely abandoned

5. Boys be ambitious! • 少年よ、大志をいだけ • Became associated with risshin shusse 立身出世 • Education -> government service -> wealth and honor 富貴（貧賤） • Message of Gakumon no Susume (Encouragement of Learning) 学問の進め by Fukuzawa Yukichi • “Learning” (学問) was exclusively Western – the knowledge of “service intelligentsia” bureaucrats

6. 西南戦争　1877

7. Last Samurai • (Very) loosely based on early Meiji reforms and samurai discontent with those reforms • Gives Americans and American models exaggerated role • Romanticizes one type of “samurai” ideal as model of “samurai” in general

8. Fukuzawa and the New Westernization • 福沢諭吉 • Founder of Keio Gijuku Daigaku 慶応義塾大学 • Journalist and founder of Jiji Shinpo 時事新報 • “Enlightenment” writer • 西洋事情 Conditions in Western Countries • 学問の進め An Encouragement of Learning • 文明論の概略 An Outline Theory of Civilization • Exaggerated own role in autobiography • Endless stream of hagiography from Keio • Contrast with Waseda and 大隈重信 Okuma Shigenobu • Okuma much more important political figure than Fukuzawa

9. An Encouragement of Learning • Gakumon no susume 学問の進め • 天は人の上に人を造らず、人の下に人を造らずと言えり • Heaven creates no man above other men; heaven creates no man below other men • Taken as evidence of “liberal” Fukuzawa rejecting “feudal” notions of hereditary status differences ordained by “heaven” (aka nature)

10. An Encouragement of Learning • Not original with Fukuzawa • Possibly from popular US text citing Thomas Jefferson • Joint authorship (of first pamphlet) • Claimed wide readership • 初編から１７編まで３４０万部以上が売れ、国民の１０人に１人が読むという明治初期における最大のベストセラー（教科書のバイブル）になり、当時の教育政策にも大きな影響を与えた • Supposition taken as fact

11. An Encouragement of Learning • Language quite difficult • Not aimed at general audience • Message to opening of school in Nakatsu to help shizoku (aka samurai) adjust to new order • Argument – • Status is not determined by “heaven” • Status is determined by study • If you are not satisfied with your status, study (rather than rebel) • Conservative, not progressive

12. Fukuzawa and the New Westernization • What can be learned from Fukuzawa • Japanese elite already opening to West before Meiji Restoration • 1860 Bakufu mission to the US • 1862 First Japanese Embassy to Europe (第１回遣欧使節 開市開港延期交渉使節団) • 1871 Iwakura Mission (岩倉使節団)

13. Bakufu mission to the US

14. First Japanese Embassy to Europe • Members of mission in Utrecht • Fukuzawa is 2nd from left • Note samurai kit

15. What can be learned from Fukuzawa • Western knowledge was profitable • Personal career built on chance engagement with Western knowledge (originally Dutch) • Typical of other Meiji figures • Basic education traditional • Fragmentary encounters with European language and learning • More to Europe than the US • Eclectic – more than one country

16. What can be learned from Fukuzawa • No sense of panic • “But on the contrary, there was really nothing new, at least to me…. I had been studying nothing else but such scientific principles ever since I had entered Ogata’s school.” (Pyle, p. 81) • Similar reaction to model railroad, telegraph brought by Perry • Already knew about these from books • Wanted to know about political and legal systems in actual operation

17. What can be learned from Fukuzawa • No sense of panic • Japan behind the West, but not that far behind • 40 years behind, a generation behind, etc. • Post restoration Western writing depicted Japan as “centuries” behind West • “Japan accomplished in decades that which required centuries in the West” • Focused on style (clothing, buildings) • Ignored intellectual and organization sophistication developed during Tokugawa

18. Limits of Reform • Motivation for reform • Demonstrate modernity, parity with major Western powers -> renegotiate unequal treaties • National strength 富国強兵 – fukoku kyohei – wealthy country and strong military • Significance • Extreme proposals • Abandoned when seen as irrelevant to goals

19. Limits of Reform • Extreme proposals • Abandon Japanese language to ease learning of Western technology • Emperor to convert to Christianity as model, people follow – to gain spiritual basis of Western power • Contractual marriage • Actually a commoner custom in Tokugawa • Preach one thing, practice another • Carmen Blacker, Japanese Enlightenment: A Study of the Writings of Fukuzawa Yukichi.

20. Iwakura Mission • Iwakura Mission or Iwakura Embassy (岩倉使節団, Iwakura Shisetsudan) • 1871-1873 • Renegotiate treaties (failed) • Gather information (2000-plus page report) • Place students (60 taken along) • Included 7 women • 津田梅子 founder of 津田塾 Tsuda Juku

21. Limits of Reform • Eating beef as a quasi-religious sacrament • Modern • Western diet -> western strength, western brain • Western buildings for Western education • Soon abandoned because of cost • 鹿鳴館 Deer Cry Pavillion • Western entertainment • Bored diplomats • Show how “western” the Japanese were

22. Iwakura Mission • Included top government officials • Secure enough to leave Japan • Personal intellectual curiosity

23. Education • Tokugawa • No “public” education • No central control • No government licensing • Indigenous or “Chinese” content except for “Dutch Learning”

24. Education • Meiji • Primarily public, grudging toleration of private • Gradually extended central control • Government regulation of ALL education • Draft exemption used to keep private higher education in line • Direct control over content • Textbooks vetted, later written by the government • Content • Basically Western except for “morals” 道徳 education

25. スライド終了 • Course Web Page for Slides and Readings • www2.gol.com/users/ehk/waseda/history4 • ehk.servebeer.com/waseda/history4 • Office Hour • None at Waseda • Last 20-30 minutes of 5th period • Mail Address • ehk@gol.com • ehkuso@gmail.com