The Meiji Restoration of Japan

The Meiji Restoration of Japan refers to the restoration of the emperor's power and the revolutionary changes that simultaneously occurred with the Meiji's emperor's rule throughout the years of 1868-1912. The power of the Tokugawa shogunate weakened Japan. The country of Japan never even thought foreign trade policies until Commodore Matthew Perry arrived at the coast of Japan. When he arrived he wanted to set up a deal for opening up trade relations with the United States. They were very doubtful that they would accept the offer due to the major damage that Britain had done to China. China just wanted to be an isolated country from the World. But sights of a Pacific coast trading center looked attractive to Japan. The American politicians looked at the ports as a way for Americans to reload and unload their ships.

The deals between Japan and Matthew Perry were not really deals, as Matthew Perry forced Japan to sign the treaties using military force. Japan is an archipelago. An archipelago a chain of islands. The Japanese were shocked at the ships with no sails that Perry was running. The military force that Matthew Perry bought to Japan was greatly superior to Japan's, and Japan had no other choice than to grant the United State's wishes. On March 31, 1854, a treaty was signed between Japan and the U.S. Continuous unfair treaties were put upon Japan by the British, the Russians and the Dutch, all abusing the Japanese's military. Due to the "pushing around" of Japan by other countries, sent the economy of Japan going downward. With no Industrial Revolution, Japan's economy had set itself for unfair trade balance, and the economy was in a dire need of fixing it as soon as possible.

After Japan got their act together, they modernized greatly. A mandatory state of government was instilled and the state funded elementary leveled education. They translated Western textbook and believed that this system would raise national pride. The Japanese also developed their own way of writing. These system developed a sense of national pride, would help people in the future and also helped maintain the love for the Emperor.

Karl Marx and Communism

Karl Marx one of Communism's most beneficial people. He began the idea of Communism because he was very against Capitalism. Capitalism is a type of economic system where the success of the company was run privately and functioned for profit. On the other hand, Communism is a form of socialism that abolishes private possessorship. It is also a political theory which favors a classless society. In order for Communism to begin, Capitalism would have to be eliminated.

Marx had formed a group called the Communist League. Along side is friend Friedrich Engels, he wrote the Communism Manifesto. He explained how the lower classes would always rise up and create a whole new society. The Communism Manifesto was written to explain the course of action, as well as threaten the governement, that the proletarian Revolution to overthrow Capitalism and get rid of the class structure. Marx wanted the society to be a classless society. Communism was the thought that everyone was common. The working class would eventually own all the Capitalist property and it would benefit the proletarians drastically. Karl states that there would no longer be a need for a government because there would be no classes.

Karl was constantly harassed because of his Communist ideas. He believed that the worker of the factories should run the government, but the communist governments were very strict. Marx ended the Manifesto with very famous words which I mentioned in my previous blog: "Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communistic revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. Workers of the world unite!"

Karl Marx and The Industrial Revolution

Karl Marx was a German philosopher and very famous political activist. He was a philosopher, political economist and was known for creating the idea of Communism. Marx's rise to popularity began during the Industrial Revolution. He was shocked at the sight of the workers. The conditions were terrible and the workers were being treated very poorly. They were making products that weren't theirs and depended greatly on money wages. He voiced his thought saying that the factory owners would own the factories instead of the landlords. He encouraged the workers to unite and revolt.

This was the when the period of Capitalism began to arise. Capitalism is a type of economic system where th e means of production, distribution and exchange of wealth is run under private companies or corporations. Landlords began to lose power and other people, such as merchants, eventually rose to power. During the Industrial Revolution, children worked 12 hour days and the conditions in England were damaging and dangerous to one's health. The streets were dirty. Families could only afford to live in ONE room and were very crowded. Many children died because of diseases and undernourishment. Capitalist gained much political power.

A man named Adam Smith wrote a book about Capitalism and his views about it. He was for it, but Karl Marx had a very different idea. He believed that the workers of the factories were disassociated "from the fruits of his own labors." He wanted to change that but first he has to get rid of the Capitalist system. This bought upon the idea of Communism. Communism was the thought that everyone would be common. Karl wanted to put an end to Capitalism. He exclaimed that wealth should be diffused "from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs."

When the kicked Marx and his family out of France because of his ideas, he went to Belgium, where he formed a small group called the Communist League and wrote his Communist Manifesto. In the Manifesto, he explained, how always in history, the lower classes of any system would always rise up and created a whole new society. He also explained how the real value of the product was the labor put into it. Marx kind of threaten the government saying that communist had a better understanding of class struggles and said they would start a revolution and take over the government. The proletarians, or the workers, would take away all the private property of capitalist. The plan for such a project would be used to benefit the proletarians. During the communist phase of the Revolution, the workers controlled mass production and Marx said that there would no longer be a need for government because all the classes would disappear.

He was kicked out of Belgium and then from France again. His ideas were not accepted. He was constantly attacked, threaten and harassed. His ideas were not used in some Communist countries, but others took his thoughts into consideration. Karl believed that the worker of the factories should run the government, but the communist governments were very strict. Workers were still forced to work difficult jobs and the newspaper was forbidden to write anything that would go against the beliefs of the government. Anyone who was against the government, and expressed it, they would be treated terribly. He died in 1883 and only 11 people attended his funeral. His friend and supported Friedrich Engels, who helped him write the Communist Manifesto, attended.

He ended the Communist Manifesto with these great words: "Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communistic revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. Workers of the world unite!"