幕末及び明治維新の大業
鎖国政策を採っていた徳川幕府は、米国艦隊ペリー提督の開国要求を受け入れ、開国に踏み切った。国力及び軍事力の大差を知った幕末の雄藩は、倒幕に傾いていった。第１５代将軍徳川慶喜が大政奉還し、薩長軍と東北雄藩との戦いである戊辰戦争を経て、政権移譲は終了した。
旧政権から政体転向を伴う新政権への移行は、普通、革命という言葉で表現される。革命は必ず大動乱となると言っても過言ではなく、新旧勢力の長く戦う事になるのが普通である。フランス革命及びその後の政権の変遷を見ると、バスティーユ牢獄の襲撃事件が発生した１７８９年から、第一共和政、第一帝政、復古王政、七月王政、第二共和政、第二帝政と政体の変遷が続いた。この間、７８年の歳月を費やしている。
幕末から明治初期における日本の政治システムの大変革は大業と言って良いであろう。幾つか、その理由を挙げてみたい。
１．旧政権の長であった徳川慶喜が、内乱となる事を避けるため、大政奉還し、かつ薩長の新政府軍に戦争を挑まなかった。世界の歴史では、殆どが内乱状態になっている。
２．かつての支配層であった大名が、不満はあっても所有していた土地と支配していた人民を、明治２年という政権移譲の初期に行なう事ができた。旧支配層が既得権益を平和裏に手放す事は通常無いと言っても過言ではないが、日本に於いてはこれが出来た事は誇ってよいと思う。
３．政権が上級武士集団から下級階級の武士集団に移行するだけで、農民や商人等が反乱を起こす事にはならず、階級間闘争になることはなかった。日本国民は、総じて新政府によく協力した。
４．新政府の元、国家目標を定め、世界情勢から富国強兵政策を採用し、非常に短期間に欧米の技術や社会制度を採りいれる事に成功した。
５．当時、寺子屋が日本全国に約16560軒の寺子屋があり、教育水準が非常に高かった。明治新政府は、徳川時代の教育による恩恵を受ける事が出来た。
急激な政治体制の変更を、素早く、内乱を可能な限り抑えて成し遂げた事例として、世界に誇ってよいと思う。
The great and excellent transformation of the political system from the end of the Edo period to the beginning of the Meiji period
The Tokugawa shogunate, which had adopted a policy of national isolation, accepted the request to open the country by Commodore Perry of the United States Fleet and decided to open the country. At the end of the Tokugawa shogunate, the powerful clans, who knew the great difference in national and military power, leaned towards overthrow the shogunate. The 15th shogun, Yoshinobu Tokugawa, returned the power to the emperor, and the transfer of power ended after the Boshin War, a battle between the Satsuma and Choshu army and the Tohoku powerful clan.
The transition from an old government to a new government accompanied by a change of government is usually expressed in the word revolution. It is no exaggeration to say that revolutions always lead to great civil war, and it is normal for old and new forces to fight for a long time. Looking at the French Revolution and subsequent changes in government, from 1789, when the Bastille prison was attacked, to the First Republic, the First Empire, the Restoration of Imperial Rule, the July Monarchy, the Second Republic, and the Second Empire continued to change. During this time, the transitions spent 78 years.
The great transformation of the Japanese political system from the end of the Edo period to the beginning of the Meiji period can be said to be a great achievement. Here are some reasons why.
1. Yoshinobu Tokugawa, who was the head of the old government, restored imperial rule to avoid a civil war and did not challenge the army of the new government of Satsuma and Choshu. Much of the history of the world has been civil war.
2. Despite their dissatisfaction, the daimyo, who were once the ruling class, were able to transfer to emperor the land they owned and the people they controlled in the early stage of the transfer of power in the second year of the Meiji era. It is no exaggeration to say that the former ruling class does not usually give up their vested interests peacefully, but I think it is good to be proud that Japanese were able to do this.
3. The change of government from a high-ranking samurai group to a low-ranking samurai group did not lead to a rebellion by farmers and merchants, and did not lead to inter-class struggle. The Japanese people generally cooperated well with the new government.
4. Under the new government, it set national goals, adopted policy of increasing wealth and military power based on the world situation, and succeeded in adopting Western technology and social systems in a very short period of time.
5. At that time, there were about 16,560 terakoya all over Japan, and the educational standard was very high. The new Meiji government was able to benefit from Tokugawa-era education.
I think we can boast to the world as an example of a rapid change in the political system that was accomplished quickly and with as little civil turmoil as possible.
