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'Modernised on the surface only'. Discuss this view of Japan between 1868 and 1912.

username4472084

I'm trying to do coursework on Meiji Japan. I'm struggling to find historiography on my four factors: Politics, Economy, Military and Social. I would really appreciate help with this. Most of the literature on this period, I find, focuses on either imperialism leading to WW2 or economic reform leading to Japan's modern international status.

My thesis so far is that while Japan's political and economic systems, military and to some extent society were reformed along Western lines, following the Iwakura Mission etc., underlying attitudes warped the effect of some of the reforms, lacking a tradition individual liberty, with those with the right to be politically active in the vast minority and armed forces that were burdened with the same expectations that the samurai had been, leading to uncompromising suicidal fighting methods in the 20th Century.

I know it may seem as though I am seeking plagiarism, however I have been working on this for over a month now and have been largely successful. This is a last resort.
Please help in finding historians who support/oppose this view.

Reply 1

LeapingLucy

One of my history modules last year had a week on Japan in this period. I didn't do any of the further readings myself, as I didn't write an essay on it, so I can't tell you what argument any of these historians make. Nevertheless, if you haven't already looked into them, they might be helpful.

To get the gist of what they're arguing, you can often find reviews on JSTOR which helpfully provide summaries.

This was the reading list: