Russia+and+Japan

RUSSIA

1. What was the Decembrist uprising? What were its causes and effects? The Decembrist uprising was a revolt of Western-oriented army officers that took place in 1825. The cause relied on the fact that, even though Russian elite welcomed Western Artistic styles, they censored the incorporation of radical or liberal political values. The uprising, led o the tsar Nicholas I to put more pressure on conservative values. Repression of political opponents increased, and the secret police expanded.

2. What were the weaknesses of the Russian economy? Russian economy system was different from that of the West. Because of its kind of isolation, Russia was not able to keep pace with the technological advancements of the West. Even though land-lords took advantage of the exportation of grains, they did not do by technological improvements, but by putting more labor pressure on their serfs. Russia remained a profoundly agricultural society based on serfdom. Russia was falling behind from the West.

3. What caused the Crimean War? what were its major effects? The Crimean War (1854-1856) was a minor conflict between Russia and France and Britain over the Ottoman Empire. Russia had gained some territory from the Ottomans, and argued that it was responsible for protecting Christian interests in the Holy land. Britain started to worry about the Russian advance because it might threaten its colony in India, and France did not want to lose its glory as the Western Champion of Christian rights. The battle gave victory to the Western powers, even though both side had great loses. The Western power won because of their industrial advantage. The defeat helped to convince the tsar, Alexander II, that reforms to improve the military and start industrialization in Russia were urgently needed.

4. Why were serfs emancipated? how did their emancipation differ from the emancipation of slaves in the U.S.? What changes did it create? As a result of the Crimean War, a call for reform was ignited. This mean that Russia needed to resolve its leading social issue: serfdom. Industrialization could be achieved, if and only if the status of serfs changed, to develop a more vigorous and mobile labor force. Russia was seeking an independent position in world trade (dominated by the West) and serfdom did not suit that need. The emancipation of the serfs was effective in 1861. It was different from that in the US by the fact that Russian serfs were given their freedom and some land, whereas the American slaves got nothing but their freedom. However, in Russia, serfs did not obtain political rights, and the tsar was careful to preserve essential aristocratic power. One of the main changes that emancipation brought was the creation of a larger urban labor force. But it did not stimulate the use of new technology, or to work on bigger scale. 5. What were the Zemstvoes? How successful were they? As serfs were emancipated, the nobles did not ruled the peasantry directly, and local governments were needed. The Zemstvoes were local political councils that had a voice in regulating roads, schools and other regional policies. However, they did not have influence on national policy.

6. What was the significance of the Trans-Siberian railroad? The trans-Siberian railroad was Russian crowning achievement when it was done. It connected European Russia with the Pacific. It stimulated the expansion of Russian iron and coal sectors. It was also essential to bring Russia into a more active and contested Asian role. As the railroad network expanded, factories and metalworking shop expanded skilled artisan try in the cities.

7. What economic reforms were enacted by Sergei Witte? Under the influence of Sergei Witte (minister of finance from 1892 to 1903), the government enacted high tariffs to protect new Russian industry, improved its banking system and encourage Western investment to build great factories with advanced technology.

8. What were the signs that Russia was headed to revolution? (think about - intelligentsia, anarchists, Marxists, Bolsheviks.) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">As Alexander II pushed for reforms, minority nationalities began to make demands of the great empire. Nationalist beliefs initially were imported from Western Europe, and encouraged divisive minority agitation. Russian society was, indeed, agitated. Because of many forms of oppression taking place at this time, the intelligentsia started to look for a fuller political voice and new rights such as greater freedom in schools and press. They were arguing for liberal reforms. They wanted political freedom and deep social reforms, maintaining a Russian culture, different from that of the West. The tsarist autocracy was causing unrest as well. The anarchists wanted to abolish all formal government, opposing the autocracy. In response to the increasing revolutionary feelings, the government tightened oppression and was directed against minority nationalities. The pressure put from the government to the Russians, eventually led to the degree of unrest, that people did not have other choice but to revolt, to ask for the reforms that would give Russians a better standard of life.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">JAPAN

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">1. Explain major developments in Japan in the early 1800's <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The Shogunate had weakened and was not able to respond properly to the Western pressure. Neo Confucianism continued to gain ground among the upper classes. Educational developments: schools and academies had expanded. The terakoya taught reading and writing and confucianism to ordinary people. Thanks to this development, 40% of men and 15% were literate. Other development were the Dutch studies that were groups of Japanese translators. They kept alive the knowledge of Dutch to deal with traders at Nagasaki. The ban of Western influence was ended in 1720, and by 1850 schools of Dutch studies urged freer exchange with the West, and the rejection of the Chinese. Commerce expanded as big merchant companies established monopolies in many centers. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">2. What effect did the actions of Commodore Perry have on Japan? (include details on Samurai discontent) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The arrival of Commodore Perry opened the way ofr pressure from the West and its insistance on opening markets for its economy. A formal treaty of 1856, allowed the creation of an American consulate and 2 ports to commerce. The extremely conservative daimyos were against this new Western influence. The shogunate started to fail as it depended on its policy of isolation. The crisis was spiced by samurai attacks on foreginers, because this new order would put their social status at risk. The crisis came to an end in 1868, when the Meji emperor was proclaimed. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">3. List the actions taken by the Meiji State. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The Meji state abolished feudalism. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The daimyos were replaced in 1871 by prefects. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Exile (?) of the samurai. Abolished samurai class. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">New army based on national concription. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The emperor traveled abroad to learn new political forms. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Created a new conservative nobility. Reorganized of the bureaucracy, started to pass civil service examinations. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">A constitutio was issued in 1889. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The creation of the Diet (new parliament). <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">4. Explain how Japan Industrialized - (Private and government roles) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">To industrialize, the Japanese government created the conditions necessary for industrialization. Government banks funded growing trade and gave capital for industry. Railroads spread across the country, and new methods raised agricultural profits. Guilds and tariffs were abolished to create a national market. The government initiated manufacturing projects. The Ministry of Industry, key government agency, set overall economic policy as well as operating sectors, and helped to control foreign advisors needed for industry. The private sector also played a key role, especially in the textile sector. Businesspeople, merchants, were doing such profits that the industrial combines known as zaibatsu formed and promoted the use of new technology and to launch Japanese economy. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">5. List ways that Industrialization changed Japan <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Despite all the changes, Japan was quite behind from the West. Japan grew economically, but not it was newly dependendant on world economic conditions and was at disadvantage. The most important change that industrialization brought to Japan, however, was the Western influence on society and politics. The new education that the government introduced, stressed science and the importance of technical subjects along with political loyalty to the nation and to the emperor, but did not want to get away from the traditional moral education. Other example was the copy from Western fashions. The econmic changes also produced a shif in Japanese foreign policy. As an imitation to Western models, a new imperialism emerged. Japan now had entered the rude world of comparison and competition to the West.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">6. What division within Japanese society were created by modernization? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The Japanese society was divided into the ones supporting and the ones opposing modernization. Many Japanese scholar adopted Western philosophies and literary styles. Opposing them, other scholars were attaching to Japanese identity more than ever. Young Japanese liked the Western styles better, whereas the old generations would stick to the traiditional standards.