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Difficulty: Very hardSocialist, Communist, and Reformist Reactions to Industrialization

Source: Tanaka Shōzō, member of the Japanese parliament (Diet), appeal to the Meiji Emperor regarding the environmental and social impacts of the Ashio Copper Mine, 1901:

"The Ashio Copper Mine... discharges poisonous water and mud into the Watarase River... The fertile fields of several provinces are ruined, and hundreds of thousands of people are deprived of their livelihood. The government, in its haste to increase national wealth and military strength, has ignored the suffering of its own citizens. To destroy the land and destroy the lives of the people for the sake of industrial profit is to violate the mandate of heaven and subvert the very purpose of government."

Which of the following historical developments in late-nineteenth-century Japan is best illustrated by the concerns expressed in the passage?

  1. The tension between state-led efforts to achieve rapid industrial modernization and the resulting social and environmental costsAnswer
  2. B
    The necessity of a revolutionary socialist overthrow of the imperial government to establish collective ownership of industrial resources
  3. C
    The technological shift from the coal-powered infrastructure of the First Industrial Revolution to the chemical innovations of the Second Industrial Revolution
  4. D
    The state's adoption of Social Darwinist policies to deliberately eliminate agrarian livelihoods in favor of urban manufacturing

Answer

The tension between state-led efforts to achieve rapid industrial modernization and the resulting social and environmental costs
The correct answer is correct because Tanaka Shōzō's appeal directly addresses the conflict between the Japanese government's goal of rapid industrialization (to match Western powers) and the massive environmental destruction and social suffering that resulted from prioritizing industrial output over human welfare.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus
Identify Tanaka Shōzō's criticism of the Japanese government for prioritizing industrial profit and national wealth over the environment and the livelihoods of citizens.
Understanding the core argument of the source is essential for contextualizing the reaction to industrialization.
2
Contextualize with Meiji Japan's industrial policies
Recall that Japan engaged in rapid, state-sponsored industrialization under the slogan 'Rich Country, Strong Army' (Fukoku Kyōhei) to avoid Western colonization.
This links the specific local event (the Ashio Copper Mine dispute) to broader global and national historical processes.
3
Evaluate the options
Determine that the critique represents a reformist reaction pointing out the contradictions of state-sponsored modernization, rather than a call for a Marxist revolution or a simple description of technological shifts.
Distinguishing between moderate reformist reactions and radical revolutionary movements is critical for answering the question accurately.

Key Concept

State-sponsored industrialization and the reformist reactions to its negative consequences
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Topics

Socialist, Communist, and Reformist Reactions to Industrialization

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