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History of the world economy - Polyak GB

24.3. The economy of Japan in the transition to imperialism

Industrial revolution. "Official Capitalism"

In an exceptionally short time, Japan commits an industrial revolution. Not having its own inventions, it borrows them from more developed countries. The lack of private capital is being replaced by an active role in the industrialization of the state, which is created here by the factory industry, especially heavy industry enterprises. The Japanese state supports private entrepreneurs, providing them with subsidies, freeing them from taxes, selling built factories in installments to those enterprising firms that carried out state orders. Special privileges were enjoyed by the government Mitsui firm , which was born in the XVI century. And became in the late XIX century. Leading.

The state undertook the construction in the most complex and new for Japan industries - shipbuilding, glass, cloth, silk-winding. The Japanese state contained 10 mountain mines. The department of industry, created in 1870, ran new enterprises. To purchase industrial equipment for their enterprises and necessary goods, the state bought and sold rice, tea, and silk in the world market. It also participated in the organization of banks. In 1872 the state built the first telegraph and railway lines, that is, the beginning of the creation of infrastructure. The state organized a geological study of the country - deposits of coal, iron ore, and gold were discovered.

The lack of capital led to the attraction of foreign capital, with the participation of which large enterprises of factory type were built. In Japan, with the help of foreign loans, railway construction began. English capital received a concession for coal mining. The Japanese government invited foreign specialists.

A feature of Japan's economic development was the combination in the same chronological framework of the manufactory, industrial and monopoly stages of capitalism development. Here in 1880 the first monopoly was formed. The next monopoly was the Japanese steamship company, a shipbuilding and transport association, which arose in 1882.

Since there was not enough capital, the enterprises built by private entrepreneurs (landowners, petty and middle bourgeois) were small, based on manual labor and processing of agricultural raw materials, and also on the production of textiles. During the industrial revolution in 1878-1885, 800 manufactories were built in Japan.

The economic policy of the 80's .

Since the early 80's. The Japanese government changes its economic policy, refusing "state capitalism." The Industrial Department is being abolished. In 1881, a decree was adopted to transfer factories to private individuals. Moreover, enterprises created at the expense of the state budget, whose incomes were formed by taxpayers, were sold at prices that were two to four times lower than their cost, or were given in repayment of government debts. The creditors of the government - the Mitsui, Mitsui, Sumitomo, Yasuda families - took part in the looting of state property.

Since this year, private business has become more active, which led to the transfer of large capital from the sphere of circulation to the sphere of production. Japan conducted a monetary reform and introduced a gold standard.

The change in economic policy contributed to the revival of industrial production. There was a concentration of production, joint-stock companies were created. Revival primarily affected the textile industry, in 1897 already had one million spindles. The first cartel "Bosei Rengokai" was created that united the largest textile factories of the country, although manual production was kept.

Industries with a domestic raw material base developed rapidly. Thus, coal mining grew during the years 1880-1913. More than 20 times, copper - more than 13 times. Steel was also developing, although Japan did not have its own raw materials and was inferior to European countries in terms of metal production. However, Japanese industrialists forced the development of steel production, as it was necessary to make weapons for the army, ships for the fleet. For 1900-1913 years. Tonnage of vessels built at Japanese shipyards increased 13-fold.

The second direction of industrialization - railway construction: for 1882 - 1890 gg. The length of steel trunk lines has grown tenfold, and a single network of messages has been formed in the country.

The working class was formed , although Japan was characterized by a significant turnover of labor because of very low wages and the spread of apprenticeship. The labor of the child who entered the manufactory for 5-7 years was not paid at all. Intensively exploited female labor. In heavy industries, for example, mining, used male labor, and, otkhodnikov. Home-based work was common in the light industry.

Industrialization contributed to the mentality of the Japanese nation: the age-old skills of community collective work, exemplary accuracy, responsibility and organization. These qualities helped the peasants, turning to work in industry, quickly master various professions.

Despite the development of industry, by the beginning of the XX century. Light and food industries dominated Japan's overall industrial output, accounting for 90% of total production. At the same time, the low wages and poverty of the village caused the narrowness of the domestic market.

In 1890, Japan experienced an economic crisis. At that time, the prices of imported cotton increased, and the yarn fell, the production of cotton fabrics declined. The export of raw silk doubled, which was the basis of Japanese exports with the rise in rice prices due to a crop failure.

The way out of the crisis Japan saw in the development of the external market, primarily the markets of Korea and China, in which the low quality of domestic products was compensated for by cheapness.

Militarization of the economy

In the early 90's. XIX century. Japan embarked on a militaristic path. The level of military spending in Japan was the highest in the world - 36% of the budget. The dispute between Japan and China for the establishment of control over the Korean peninsula led to the Sino-Japanese War in 1894. Japan, after attacking China, won several victories. Thus, heavy industry received an incentive to develop. Under an agreement with China, Japan acquired the right to expand Korea, a significant contribution, the right for Japanese citizens to open industrial enterprises in China.

The rise of industry was characterized by military orientation. In 1895, the program for the development of the national economy, designed for ten years, was adopted. It set the task of reorganizing and strengthening the military (armed) forces, which foresaw the creation of new industries (heavy and military). It was planned to build Japan's first metallurgical plant (state-owned), expand the network of railways, telephone and telegraph communications. For this purpose, 90% of the contribution was invested. Already in 1903, the power-to-weight ratio of labor of workers in military branches increased 40 times. Military and commercial shipbuilding developed at a high rate.

Questions for repetition

1. Describe the economic transformation in Japan in the XVIII century.

2. Tell us about the "opening of Japan" and its results.

3. What were the main socio-economic transformations of the Meiji revolution?

4. Describe the industrial revolution in Japan. How has its economic policy changed?