1981-10-31 — Page 22

嘉二第張六第 日四初月十年臨腦室 WAH KIU YAT PO

1982

中學會考試題預習專欄

歷史

(五)

HISTORY (5)

Philip Y.L. Moo

the

central government

So the central

government had a

constant and reliable

source of money to carry out its

different moderniza-

#tion programmes.

MILI & DALE PRESS LTD.

The following is an outline of the Meiji. modernization of Japan (1868-1913). The word "Meiji" came from the name of the emperor who ruled Japan during this. period -- the Meiji Emperor, Before 1868, Japun was basically a

feudal country: no central government, backward economy and society etc. From that year to

died, rany reforms were attempted, and they changed,

Meïji E. Garten the

transformed, Japan greatly. Japan then

became a modern state.

The process through which Japan became a modern. state is known as "modernization". Today, many countries in. Africa and Asia try to modernize themselves too,

Background to

modernizati on

Why did Japan try to modernize herself?

1. Western imperiali am

Since 1855–54,

foreigners came to. Japan and opened her up for trade anıl

increased contact with the rest of the world.

Economic imperialism?! - Western goods. entered Japan and destroyed the traditional.

handicraft:

industries in many Way9..

Military imperialism' - Western countries. had superior military technology and weapons. They could use them to threaten "Japan's national safely. Therefore, the Meiji statesmen (who helped create tho new Meiji state in 1868) set the goals of modernization as "rich

Country and strong

army

Meiji Restoration The Meiji Emperor wa restored to rule in 1809, when the

Tokugawa shogunate was overthrown, This

de it possible to carry out för "modernization.

= made

Preliminary steps to modernization – Before modernization could be successfully carried out,

a few steps had to be taken, These steps include:

1. Abolition of feudali šu - Politically, clan governmentvlig ) of the past (ruling different parts of Japan rather rudependently) were abolished, Socially, the samurai's social position was cancelled, so that all people enjoyed equal rights. and shared respon- sibilities,

OB

Setting up-a centralized government

This is necessary. that central planning of the modernization programmes could be. carried out, a

• Creation of reliable: sources of income for the central government

The Fand tax' was reformed. In '1875, all landowners were

required by law to pay. a yearly tạx (of 3% of the land value) to

Different modernization programme S -The Meiji government carried out these programmes at the same time. The willingless to do so

explained why modernization was successful.

1. Economic modernization.

- Development. of military – strategic. Industries. This 19

understandable,in view of the felt need to defend the 'country aguinst foreign imperialism. There waR development of consumer industries. too. This aimed at protecting Japanese goods against foreign economic imperialism,

Firstly, agriculture was modernized, før Japan was still an agricultural country at this time. Vith money income obtained from agricultural development, the Meiji" government could finance other modernization Programbies.

b) In the 1870s, the

Meiji government developed industries herself, because private businessmen were unwilling to do

so, iu view of the risk involved, In the 1880s, the Meiji government sold non-military industries to private hands" but retained control of the military: industries,

d) Recause of c), some private Japanese companies benefitted greatly. They

oblained industries from the government ut very cheap prices, They became

financial giants or financial combines called the

zaibutsu(J).

Educational modernization. There Mere 2 main oima:

acquiring bestern knowledge! „

il, strengthening

national unity. In the 1870s, universal, compulsory education vas introduced and

carried out, However, conservatives soon feared that Kestern education would:

destroy copan's

national tradition

They opposed

education on Western, liberal line.

b) In the 1880s or so,

education became more and more. illiberal and conservative. Although Japanese still learnt Western technology, they were taught absolute loyalty to the state, not free thinking. This was the roof of Japan's ultra- nationalism, which later in the 20th century) led to conquest of China, the Second World War, and lastly

disaster for Japan, (¢) Meanwhile, during the Meiji period, because national unity was

strengthened “by educational modernization, educational modernization

報日僑

contributed to the success of all modernization

programmes.m

5. Military modernization

- At first, the aim was to defend Japan.

agajng possible

4.

attack from foreigners, From the 1800s on,

however the sim was

win offensive wars and acquire imperialist possessions

1873, Conscription

Law - A) adult male citizens had to

serve in the army or navy. for a period. In this way, th national armed forces vere created. b) 1878 and after-

discipline in the army and navy was made tighter. Administration was centralized. There after, the Japanese military forces. became more and more authoritarian and

conservative.

Political

modernization. constitutional movement.

It started as n struggle for power simong the Meiji leaders. Some political leaders wanted

het sake use of the moverent (calling for the adoption of a constitution) te obtain power from the ruling Loaders. Therefore there was not a real devire for the benefits of a constitution. b) From 1868 to 1877

some of the Meiji. Teaders opposed the ruling leaders by arned rebellions, The rebellions were suppressed. So the opposition leaders chose the peaceful Way of struggling for power -- through the constitutional

movement..

1881 the Meij government announc ed that a constitu- tion would begg adopted by 1889. The Meiji governs ment wished to 'imitate the Western political example.

From 1881 to 1889, the Meiji govern- ment strengthened the rule of the Emperor and discouraged the activities of political parties. Therefore, when

the constitution

was-adopted in 1889, there was not much change to the basically illberat, authori- tartian nature of the Meiji state. Results of modernization

The results were, superficial (on the surface):

1. Only national

institutions were changed; rural society remained very

conservative. Thoughts of the people vere still traditional. But meanwhile, Japan successfully profected herself against foreigu imperialism, In fact, because Japan had been successfully modernizeč, she becasio an imperialist power herself. ADA

3. When Japan was weak (in the 1850s' or 1800s), she had to sign some unequal treaties with the Western powers, When Japari was successfully modernized, she revised these unequal.

六期星

treaties (in the 1890s) hut because

undemocratic,

authoritarian forces

were not removed

during the moderniza- tion process, the

ground was paved for

the rise of militarisn later.

經濟

(A)

王啓光提供資料

明德出版社陳勵德

ECONOMICS (5)

"K.K. Wong & 1.7. Chan.

MILL & ALL PRESS LTD.

Factors of production 1. Factors of production Since production is defined as any activity directed to satisfy human wants by manufacturing goods and servic with the assistance of available.

resources, the producers require a number of inputs in production, For example, for growing crops, cultivated land, irrigation - machinery and workers are needed.

They

The factor inputs involved in the production process- are termed factors productínu in economics, include all the productive resources in buman economy.

Therefore, factors of production can be defined as all productive resources available to produce goods and services in order to satisfy human's wunts.

There are four factors of production namely, Tand capital, labour and entrepreneur. Land "and capital are

called the non-human factors where fabour und the entrepreneur are called human factors. Thệ production units (the individuai

enterprisings and firms) could make full use of the factors of production by combining them in the more appropriate

way-sol as to achieve

the greatest output and maximize the profit.

1. Land;

Land refers not only to the site where production activities can be carried out, but also the natural resources made a available from the nature. Therefore Tand includes. agricultural Tand industrial site. mineral resources, forests, mountains, seas, grasslands. and climate, Land is often regarded as a free gift of nature because it is provided for everyone in the society. Furthermore Land is also. Fimited in supply.

2. Capital:

Capital refers to

those man-made resources or caritak goods which are employed in every. stage of production. I'sually, the capital goods are not needed directly for immediate coLsump- tion and they are used for further stare of production. make consumer goods directed to the hands of

consumers.

日一卅月十年一八九一腊公年十七國民華中 南教僑

3. Labour;

labour refers to all actual efforty

mental and physical, skilled and lay unskilled, applied to the production of goods and -services- and for which

payment to labour is called "wages.

Because Jabour is

humon factor in

production, the

provision of Tabour

depends upon

population, mobility

of labour and the

social and

Psychological

aspects of the workers. Eutrepreneur

Entrepreneur human factor: separated from labour. Entrepreneur→

ship refers to the organization ability and managerial. akills in production. It is because the entrepreneur have to combine and fully utilize the other three factors of production in business decision making, In other words, the entrepreneur may be

tre i,ustrialists or the manugers in the product con unit. Die or she has to

make vital decisiona of policy regarding the method of production go be employed and the quality of the output. In addition tu receiving, residual profit, the entre- preneur bears the risk of production. kecause the firm may have the chance to suffer 1085.

II. The law of

diminishing returns. *Supþästng that the production of n commodity require two factors of production, land and Labour. If successive units of a variable. factor (one whose amount can vary are. added to a given quantity of a fixed. factor (one whose anovut cannot be altered), the -nddition of more and

mare - units of the variable factor will

in the end lead to a decline in the additional output resulting from the addition of an extru unit of the variable fuctors,

For example, in the production of wheat we are using various alternative quantities of Inbour per unit of time to farm a fixed nnoun of land and recording tbe resulting

alternative outputs of wheat per unit of time.

The average product of labour (AP',) is then defined Mastotal product (TP) divided by the number of units of labour used. The marginal product of labour (MP) is given by the change in the TP per unit. Change in the quantity of Fabour used. In the table below land is measured in acres labour in man-years. and total product (TO) in bushels,

(1)

(4) ((5) [(2) (3) Land Labour]TP AP,

و)

MI.

(

0

ย

3

5

5

12

2

5

17/3 2/5

175/6-0

162 2/7

13

JP, APL

MPL

According to the

the MP, dingran,

MP

Labour (on one

acre of

land)

rises

at first, reacties * maximum (before the AP, reaches its maximum). and then declines. The MP, becomes zero when

the TP in maximum and negative when the TP begins to decline. The following position of the MP arrue illustrate the law of diminishing returns.

The law of diminishing returns atates that if one factor of production is increased by small constant amounts yaTE other factor. quantities being held constant, then after some point the resulting increases in output become smaller and smaller.

This lay is.... propounded only on the assumption that the state of technology is given and that no new production methods

are introduced during any period in which the law applies.

III. The application of

the law of diminishing returns: Land is subject to the law of diminishing returns.

Land is a factor which particularly suffered from the law of diminishing returna. If the certain quantity of the factor land is given, with the Tand the entre- preneur combines increasing quantity of land or capital. It is found that sooner. or later the addition of

further quantities of labour and capital would result in diminishing returns. As a result, the output per unit of the Ladditional factor

would he decreasing.

other factors of productions are also subject' the law of diminishing: "retartusi.

Today, the theory of diminishing returns restricts not only 1;nd în production, but also the other productive factore such as Laboury capital and entrepreneur, Because of the

increasing seale of production, Fongea, ini production won) d the more possible.

the