Q11. Latecomer” Industrial Revolution in Japan involved certain factors that were markedly different from what the West had experienced.
Model Answer:
Introduction
Japan's latecomer industrial revolution in the late 19th century showcased unique characteristics, diverging significantly from the West's earlier industrialization. Key factors influenced this transformative journey.
Body
- Meiji Restoration: The 1868 Meiji Restoration centralized power, enabling swift reforms, fostering industrial growth, and encouraging Western technological adoption while preserving Japanese cultural identity.
- State-led Initiatives: The government played a proactive role in industrialization, establishing infrastructure, financial systems, and educational institutions, contrasting with the laissez-faire approach of Western nations.
- Zaibatsu Formation: Large conglomerates known as zaibatsu emerged, monopolizing industries and fostering economies of scale, unlike the smaller, fragmented enterprises prevalent in Western contexts.
- Labour Policies: Japan utilized a unique labour system, integrating traditional practices with modern employment, which contrasted with the labour exploitation common in Western industrial centres.
- Cultural Adaptation: Japanese society embraced modernization while retaining traditional values, facilitating a blend of Western technology and local customs, differing from the cultural upheaval seen in the West.
- International Context: Japan's industrialization occurred amid Western imperialism, driving a desire for sovereignty and technological advancement to compete internationally, distinct from the West's colonial expansions.
Conclusion
Japan's latecomer industrial revolution was marked by state-led initiatives, unique labour systems, and cultural adaptations, creating a distinct path that diverged from Western industrialization.
Instant Mains Evaluation with SuperKalam
✅ Now try writing this answer in your own
words and evaluate it instantly
using SuperKalam
.png)
.png)
