The Meiji Rebel Regime: The Creation of a Durable and Efficient Authoritarian Government in Early Meiji Japan

My thesis explores the applicability of contemporary theories on rebel regimes to the historical context of early Meiji Japan (1868-1890). I examine how the Meiji government, emerging from a violent revolution that overthrew the Tokugawa Shogunate, established a durable and efficient authoritarian regime based on patterns established before and during the revolution. In Chapter Two, I begin with a review of existing studies on rebel regimes and identify three key characteristics of rebel regimes: mature local control systems, reliable power-sharing patterns, and extensive destruction of the previous regime. In Chapter Three, I provide a detailed account of the political, military, and economic conditions during the Bakumatsu period (1853-1868) and the Boshin War (1868-1869). In the three following chapters, I analyze how each of the three characteristics of rebel regimes manifested in Bakumatsu and Meiji Japan. Through a comprehensive investigation of power dynamics, social revolutions, and military conflicts, I demonstrate that the Meiji government’s rebel background fostered coherence and resilience among governing elites, which enabled the creation of a strong and effective authoritarian state capable of initiating far-reaching social and economic reforms. I examine how the ruling Meiji Oligarchs leveraged their experiences in local Domain politics and employed them in their nationwide reforms after the establishment of a centralized Meiji government. I argue that the similarities between contemporary and historical rebel regimes can be attributed to their shared experiences of violent conflicts, which shape their institutional structures. My thesis enhances the understanding of power structure in Meiji Japan, validates the broader applicability of rebel regime theories across different historical contexts, and generates new topics for future research on Meiji Japan as a rebel regime.