일본의 근대화 전개 배경에 대한 일고찰 - 막부말기 주요 사회적 상황의 의미와 역할을 중심으로 -

Abstract

There is no doubt that Japan started its modernization and rose to world power status in the Meiji period. Yet, the causative factor of Japan's modernization does not only lay upon the Meiji's new government, but there exists a few other influencing factors that triggers Japan's modernization. In this study, we need to exam how social background factors played facilitating factors in the force toward Japan's modernization. The three major facilitating factors can be first, a fundamental knowledge of Japan's own study that is the formation of Rangaku and Yogaku second, emphasizing the importance of translating and educating practical ways of studies through human resources and lastly, even under the circumstances of the feudalism there provided establishment of well set institutions for human resources. These three major factors had already been processed by Bakumatsu in the late period of 19th century. From Japan's history point of view Bakumatsu was a bridge to feudalism and modernization which kept its own originality as well as establishing continuity of feudalism and modernization. Although Bakumatsus' involvement with modernization and foreign powers was to aim anti-Western movement, the final years of the Bakumatsus put its effort on establishing and creating motive power in developing modernization for the Meiji government. Therefore, it is not too much to say that Bakfumatsu played optimal role in connecting and developing Japan's modernization for the next generation.