Transformation from Feudalism to Capitalism in Japan

Abstract

There are various routes and modes of transformation from feudalism to capitalism. This chapter will consider the transformations in England and Japan, one of which can be said to exemplify capitalism from below, the other over a long period capitalism from above. England, too, initially started off with capitalism from above. However, the country had a long tradition of democracy, and this, combined with the numerous epoch-making discoveries in production technology by men who not only possessed intellectual ability and knowledge of production technology but were also full of the spirit of enterprise, led to an easy transformation from capitalism from above to capitalism from below. In the case of Japan, however, there have been at least two occasions on which the shift from above to below might have been made, namely after the end of the First World War and now, at the end of the twentieth century. On the first of these the opportunity was lost as a result of Japan’s being thrust into preparation for war, and the consequent strengthening of government intervention in the economy, and even on this second opportunity the shift to capitalism from below is being delayed. Despite this, there are in the histories of the two countries both dissimilarities and remarkable similarities. I am going to start by trying to point these out.