Modern History Meiji Essay:

Fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate:

OR

Meiji Reforms

Fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate:

 How did it occur? I.e. what events, things in society led to the downfall of the shogunate and
allowed modernisation to occur?
- 1. ) Decline of the bakufu (military-style government)
The Shogunate necessitated its own downfall by implementing a harsh feudal system on
society that caused discontent for virtually all classes. Restricted the daimyo through the
‘sankin-kotai’ policy; they forced them to be supervised in Edo, reduced their financial
power, forced them to pay low stipends of rice to samurai (causing more anger), couldn’t
build or repair their castles, destroyed bridges to avoid daimyo from conspiring with each
other. Samurai’s bushido was diminished – they were in often debt to merchants due to the
daimyo being unable to pay them, cheated by merchants, weren’t allowed to transfer to
farming jobs, were encouraged to take up artisan jobs yet they were lower status. Peasants
couldn’t leave their villages, couldn’t carry weaponry, and they were taxed tremendously
from 40-50%. WHAT THIS MEANT – Famines occurred 20 times in the Tokugawa period (1603
– 1863). Large divide between rich and the poor. Idealogies began to develop, specifically
regarding whether the Shogunate should rule Japan, believing he was a corrupt and
illegitimate leader. Shintoism made a revival in an attempt to ‘revere the emperor’ that also
ingrained anti-rangaku (anti-Western) values.
2. ) Gunboat diplomacy; Perry’s arrival.
Perry’s arrival exposed the Tokugawa Shogunate’s staple of social, politicial, and financial
weakness it left on Japan. On his first trip in 1853, he showcased Western technology with 4
warships that left Japanese population inquisitive. After Iemochi refused to respond, Perry
returned on 12th February 1854 with double the warships, forcing Shogun to confine. Perry’s
gunboat diplomacy that instilled fear enabled America to trample over the Shogunate with
unfair treaties, e.g. Kanagawa and Edo, breeding discontent from the daimyo around him
whilst debating the bakufu’s legitimacy and seclusion policy.

MEIJI REFORMS