The Meiji Restoration of Japan

Matthew Perry was a United States naval officer who negotiated with the Japanese for several months. The Americans wanted to open a port, where they could trade with this isolated country. Americans also needed the supplies to run their ships, so they needed help anyways. The Japanese were very impressed by the technology that the Americans had. This opened their eyes to new ideas. Which started the modernization of Japan.

The Americans had things that the Japanese never had seen. They had massive ships, rifles, cannons, a ship run by steam and many other things. To Japan these were like futuristic ideas. Many Japanese people didn't want to open up to these ideas. But their Emperor Meiji realized that his people couldn't stay uneducated forever. He decided he needed to modernize his country.

The Japanese signed the Treaty of Kanagawa which allowed many things between Americans and the Japanese. The Americans benefited a lot from this Treaty. They received a lot of help with their ships from Japan. The Treaty stated:

1. Alliance between the United States and Japan.
2. Opening of two ports to American ships at Shimoda and Hakodate.
3. Help for any American ships around the Japanese coast.
4. Permission for American ships to buy supplies, coal, water, and other necessary provisions in Japanese ports.

Although the Americans benefited a lot so did the Japanese. Japan now had two ways to trade with other countries as well. This helped with the modernization of Japan.

Japan adapted many ideas as well. From the German they adopted the ideas of a centralized government. They also adopted ideas such as education, industrialization, advances in technology and more countries to trade with. This also started battles with neighboring countries. Such as China, Russia and Russia. Japan also now had railway and shipping lines, telegraph and telephone systems, and factories making things like sugar, glass and textiles.

The Meiji Era changed in ways that the society pyramid didn't matter anymore and nationalism sprung out full throttle. Japan now had new industries and technologies. Even when it came to voting Japan now had ideas of letting males vote. But only if they were wealthy. They were becoming a lot like America.

Now Japan is one of the most advanced countries in the world. Probably the most. With inventions that top most of the American inventions. It's ironic how it worked out. Americans gave them the boost to start their modernization and they are now basically ahead of us. Japan also had an advantage that its an archipelago. An archipelago is a large group of islands or chain. Like, Hawaii. Since it has so much water surrounding it, it can have many harbors that help when it comes to trade.

In the end, my opinion is that its good Japan didn't stay isolated. I'm sure they praise the Emperor Meiji. Without him Japan wouldn't be as advanced as it is today.

Karl Marx and Communism

Karl Max didn't like the way the industrial revolution had the people of Europe living. He didn't accept the idea of capitalism. He showed the workers that they should be getting their very big share, just like the owners were. They had to do the same stupid routine everyday and most of the conditions in the factories weren't that great or safe. He definitely proved his point. Communism sounded like a great idea to the workers. This way they were able to get their own piece of the pie.

Communism is a form of government where property is shared and everyone has common property. That way everyone can be equal and no one will be devastated that the work they put in never paid off. Of course, this doesn't work for the people that actually do more work then others but they had to deal with it.

Marx wanted communism to take over the world so that everyone would be equal. He believed that capitalism would cause destruction. People that worked really hard would one day want to be on top. He thought that a bloody revolution would start if the workers didn't get what they wanted. So either way they could go the communist way or just revolt. He thought the communist way would be better.

For Marx, the "bad guys" were the owners of the factories and land. The "good guys" were the workers, or the proletariats. He believed that the "bad guys" were the owners since they believed in capitalism. They of course believed in it since capitalism was on their side. The "good guys" were the workers. Since they agreed with his ideas. Plus his ideas would work in their favor.

Communism was a form of government for many nations after Marx. His ideas of fairness was a bright one to many people. It does make a lot sense, but it truly only makes a lot of sense when you're the one that is on the bottom of the social class. It would be pretty weird to find someone who likes to work harder then others and still get the same amount as the laziest person in his community. Don't you agree?

Karl Marx and the Industrial Revolution

Karl Marx made a world wide revolution. He changed a government and showed new ideas to the people of Europe. His believes were different from those who thought it was okay to have long hours of work just because you were poor and lived in dirty cities. He was born into a family with two religions. He worked really hard in school even though he also remembered to have fun. He married in 1843 and moved with his wife to Paris. There he became a journalist.

Paris was becoming a very unfair industrial city. He started to see the side of capitalism. He didn't like how the industrial cities were being run. Since he really liked philosophical ideas he was determined. He was determined to change the way Paris and other industrial cities treated their workers.

Marx didnt enjoy the way the workers were treated. They worked really long hours to end up with a really low salary. The money coming in was really only for the owner of the factory. This was capitalism. People working for owners that get most of the profit. He thought everything should be fair that way everyone would be happy. Workers shouldnt have given up their money for the land owners, they should have been able to split it.

The anger that Karl Marx went through when he saw how bad the people were being treated, made him come to the decision that the people should make a communist government. Communism is a equal government where everyone can own their own things. Most things are fair in a communist society. Even though Marx promised the people a place where they can control the government more, most communist governments are ruled by the government officials.