Modern History of Japan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Modern History of Japan - Essay Example Inadvertently, by providing peace to the country, samurais had helped the farmers to bring in an agricultural revolution by making the farmers wealthy. In addition to that, a proto-industrial employment to the farmers during the lean season also made them richer. This was noticed by the samurais and they tried to increase the taxation on the farmers. The restoration that started as a farmer movement for over one year had the tacit support of the emperor and one of the Samurais. Soon, on the super natural grounds the rule of the Samurai in the rural areas was temporarily suspended. When the Samurai – farmer conflict rose, the farmers gathered in larger numbers resulting in violent attacks on Samurais. The emperor took the side of the farmers and some of the samurais lower down the rung also took the side of the Emperor. The Kyoto aristocrats also moved in to ensure that the restoration was least violent and was more in line with religious requirements. The samurais were thus re placed. And the Emperor with his aristocratic council became the decision makers for the country. The Japanese nationalism budded and grew to a great extent. With the industrial change from a largely agrarian economy, the wealth of the nation also multiplied tremendously. The overall GDP of the country grew to the level of any other western nation which made the country a major competition for the western powers. Meiji era also saw the rise of the Popular Rights Movement which was more a democracy movement but was crushed by the ruling oligarchy. The imperial army had grown in its power and capacity and can handle such minor uprisings with crushing cruelty.