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Difficulty: MediumGlobal Spread of Industrialization

Source: Okubo Toshimichi, Meiji government minister, draft proposal on the promotion of national wealth, Japan, 1874

"If we look at the countries of the world, those that are strong and wealthy have successfully encouraged manufacturing and trade... In our country, we have not yet developed these industries to a sufficient degree. Therefore, the government must take the initiative to establish factories, import machinery, and hire foreign experts. Once these industries have been shown to be profitable and stable, the government should sell or transfer them to private merchants, who will then run them."

Which of the following best explains a major difference between the process of industrialization described in the passage and the process of industrialization in Great Britain?

  1. A
    Great Britain’s industrialization was structured around mercantilist state monopolies that banned private investment, whereas Japan’s industrialization rejected state involvement in favor of laissez-faire capitalism.
  2. Great Britain’s industrialization was driven primarily by private entrepreneurs and free-market forces, whereas Japan’s industrialization was initiated and heavily subsidized by the state.Answer
  3. C
    Great Britain’s industrialization was initially centered on the development of electricity and chemical industries, whereas Japan’s early industrialization focused on steam-powered textile mills.
  4. D
    Great Britain’s industrialization was sustained by the direct political annexation and colonial administration of Japan, whereas Japan’s industrialization was funded by agricultural exports to neighboring colonies.

Answer

Great Britain’s industrialization was driven primarily by private entrepreneurs and free-market forces, whereas Japan’s industrialization was initiated and heavily subsidized by the state.
The correct answer correctly identifies that Great Britain’s industrialization was largely driven from the bottom-up by private capital, entrepreneurs, and free-market forces, whereas Meiji Japan utilized a top-down model of state-sponsored industrialization, where the government built model factories and infrastructure before transferring them to private hands.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the passage to identify the key features of Japan's industrialization model.
The passage describes a state-directed model where the Japanese government takes the initiative to establish factories, import machinery, and hire foreign experts, before selling them to private owners.
Understanding the source text's main argument is the first step in comparative historical analysis.
2
Recall the historical context of Great Britain's Industrial Revolution.
Great Britain's industrialization was characterized by private capital, entrepreneurship, and a laissez-faire economic system with minimal initial state ownership of factories.
Comparing Japan's top-down approach with Britain's bottom-up approach is necessary to identify the core difference.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the option that accurately contrasts the two processes of industrialization.
The option stating that British industrialization was driven by private entrepreneurs while Japan's was state-sponsored accurately reflects the historical contrast.
Selecting the option that correctly contrasts private-led and state-led industrialization resolves the question.

Key Concept

State-sponsored vs. private-enterprise industrialization
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Global Spread of Industrialization

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