Effects Of The Tokugawa Shogunate

The Meiji Restoration and the period of industrialization that followed were unlike any process of industrialization seen in the modern age. The Tokugawa shogunate, a feudal system of rule and economy, had many flaws that eventually led to the overthrow and disbandment of the shogunate system. The overthrowers of this system, led by the outside Daimyo houses were seeking to reinstall the emperor, who was claimed to be a descendent of Amaterasu, giving him divine rule. Once in power, this group instilled multiple economic reforms in order to industrialize Japan, which they accomplished with outstanding speed. These reforms led to industrialization on a scale that hadn’t been seen by any other Asian power and actually allowed Japan to become

The Tokugawa shogunate was a feudal system of rule that was first established in the year 1600. The system consisted of the Shogun at the head of the government and his lords that owned property and served under him. These property owners were called the Daimyo, and they were the most powerful property owners in Japan with a multitude of Samurai and peasants serving under them. The Tokugawa shogunate took many measures to control the Daimyos, and while these seemed to be successful in the short term, they eventually led to the downfall of the Bakufu. The first of these measures to quell the chances of rebellion was a divide between the different houses under the Shogun's control. The main division depended on which side the Daimyos houses supported in the Tokugawa victory in 1600. The families who opposed them were seen as unloyal and were given lands far from the capital of Edo. These untrustworthy lords were considered “outside lords”. The family lines that had been loyal to the Tokugawa Shogunate were given more trust, and lands that were stationed closer to the capital city. Another system used by the Shogun to maintain control was the building of the five administered routes and a policy called the alternate attendance system. This meant the daimyo had to attend the shogun one out of every two years. Their wives and heirs, had

Not just through how they viewed themselves, but also from the perspective of Western powers. Japan had robust industry, and a modern constitution similar to the ones seen in other Western countries. These changes had such a large effect, that the Japanese were able to have their treaties renounced by Western powers, as it was deemed they were modernized. The larger point when demonstrating just how successful the Meiji Restoration had been, was their ability to participate in the system of imperialism seen in the West. This began with the establishment of the Lines of Interest, areas Japan had to dominate to ensure its sovereignty. The beginning of this struggle for domination over other Asian nations came in Korea, where they began to exert their influence over the Korean monarchy. This action was very threatening to the Chinese, as this was undercutting the Quing dynasty's sovereignty. The war between the two nations began in 1895 and was watched very closely by the Western powers. However, it did not last long as the Japanese forces routed the Chinese forces, both on land, and with their navy. The Quing dynasty representatives signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki, giving up Taiwan, and recognizing the independence of Korea. This allowed Japan to exert its influence over Korea