Social Darwinism In Japan Essay

Words: 1254
Pages: 6
Open Document
In Meiji Japan, Japanese leaders believed in Social Darwinism. They also accepted the notion that civilizations progress from a barbaric to a civilized state. Many Japanese leaders assumed that the Japan was in a semi-civilized state. The Meiji state wanted to convert Japan into a “modern” nation because their intellectuals believed that if Japan did not modernize and industrialize, they would get colonized. In the 1860s, the “modern” nations mainly consisted of the United States and other western powers, which all had a much stronger military than the Japanese. This resulted in the Meiji state wanting to industrialize Japan to build up an army, so that other countries could not conquer Japan. At the same time, Japan also wanted to become a civilized nation because they wanted to attain the success that the modern nations had. To attain these goals, the Meiji …show more content…
To be able to implement these new norms, Japanese officials had to be heavily concerned with the regulation in both urban and colonial space. To further bolster this, they promoted their subjects to compete aggressively with one another in their education to gain a more skilled labor force, which would help the Meiji state industrialize and become a world power. On top of this, they did not want to be seen as semi-civilized or barbaric by other Western nations, so they also adopted many of their traditions, so that Japan would be perceived as a civilized state. Therefore, Japan’s desire to be a modern nation and fear of being colonized led Japan to heavily regulate urban and colonial spaces. This desire also resulted in Japan labeling their subjects, especially peasants and merchants, who conformed to these new norms as productive and civilized, which benefitted them because of social
Show More

Related Documents: Social Darwinism In Japan Essay

Essay about Bow Chicka Wow Wow

immigrants settled at a mass rate, and different social and economic changes swept the nation. Andrew Carnegie [pic]Andrew Carnegie owned the Carnegie Steel Company, which was very successful. Steelmaking became highly successful with the Bessemer process, invented in 1855 and refined during the Civil War. This made it easier to produce steel, which was superior to iron. Carnegie wrote an essay titled "The Gospel of Wealth" in 1889. In the essay, he encouraged wealthy businessmen to use their fortunes…

Words 3322 - Pages 14

Essay idk what to write

property Gov’t designed to protect natural rights – Right of Revolution if fails to do so Power comes from the consent of the people Rousseau (The Social Contract) – Civilization corrupted natural goodness, born free and equal, no nobility Best gov’t: direct democracy – freely formed by people Give up some freedom for common good (utilitarianism) Social contract: agreement between free individuals and gov’t Montesquieu (On the Spirit of Laws) – Separation of powers based on British gov’t (three…

Words 5417 - Pages 22

Vocab Apush Essay

1. General Court: Massachusetts Bay legislature that tried Anne Hutchinson for heresy; banished leading Antinomians after trial. 2. John Winthrop: First governor and founder of Massachusetts Bay Colony (~1630). Envisioned a “city upon a hill” that would cause Anglicans in England to reform 3. Restoration Colonies: Colonies given to pay off royal debts in return for loyal citizens’ support of Charles II during the restoration. First was Carolina. 4. Leisler's Rebellion: America's response…

Words 5758 - Pages 24

Modern China Essay

Day 1 Notes Manchu conquest of China When it comes to the Ching Dynasty, people assimilate the rise and fall doctrine to it Unique dynasty because it wasn’t as ethnically Chinese. As a result, the dynasty they came up with was not a repeat of other Chinese dynasties. Should be thought of as a Central Asian Empire. Great kinship with the Mongols. Great kinship with other groups. They were not just exploiters, they wanted to make it better, they themselves are changed in the process. We can’t…

Words 3844 - Pages 16

Criminology Notes Essay

creating fear in society (Chinese corrupting the beliefs of Canadian society), opium ban (Opium and Narcotic Act) (form of social control. -Emily Murphy; The Black Candle, detailed all of the crazy things marijuana does to people under the influence, people started to freak out -Moral panic; an intense feeling expressed in a population about an issue that appears to threaten the social order, individuals believe that society is going to break down unless something is done -Some moral panics; global…

Words 8665 - Pages 35