186 i PERIOD 5 Industrialization and Global Integration (c. 1750–c. 1900)
Japanese social and political changes were accompanied by rapid industrialization.
Banks were set up, and the Japanese army and navy were modernized. Key to the success
of Japanese industry was strong government support. State-sponsored railroads, steamships,
and factories were built. Heavy taxes imposed on Japanese citizens supported industry. By
the 1890s, many of the textile mills and other factories were sold off to private investors
who formed conglomerates called zaibatsu.
In spite of Japan’s rapid industrialization, the islands were not fully equipped for indus-
trialization. Japan lacked signifi cant coal and iron ore deposits essential to carry on an
industrial economy. By the beginnings of the twentieth century, Japan remained dependent
on the West for raw materials and technology.
In the 1890s, Japan’s need for raw materials for its industries prompted a quest for
empire. In 1895, Japan defeated China in the Sino-Japanese War, which was fought
over control of Korea. Japan’s infl uence in Korea also led to the Russo-Japanese War of
1904–1905, in which Japan defeated Russia. In 1910, Japan annexed Korea.Social Changes in Industrial Japan
The infl uence of industrialization introduced a number of Western practices to Japan.
Public primary education was offered to all children. The Japanese adopted the metric
system, clocks, and the Western calendar. Western haircuts became the fashion for Japa-
nese men. In spite of these adaptations to Western ways, however, few Japanese adopted
Christianity, and Shinto and Confucianism became even more popular. Family life also
maintained its traditions; Japanese women retained their traditional roles of wives and
mothers in a patriarchal family.Industrialization in Egypt
Under the leadership of its ruler Muhammad Ali, Egypt began to industrialize in the early
nineteenth century. In order to lessen Egypt’s dependence on the Ottomans, Muhammad
Ali built up the Egyptian military. He also brought in European advisers to build up
industries. To fund the new industries, Egyptian peasants were required to grow cotton
and wheat to export to industrialized nations. When Muhammad Ali levied high tariffs
on imported goods, the British objected and forced him to discontinue the duties. Egypt’s
new industries were unable to compete with British manufacturers, and became dependent
on lower-priced manufactured goods from Great Britain.❯ Rapid Review
Beginning in Great Britain, the Industrial Revolution spread throughout Western Europe
and the United States, altering society and family life. After abolishing serfdom in 1861,
Russia began to industrialize, constructing a trans-Siberian railroad to link European
Russia to the Pacifi c coast. The Perry expedition to Japan in 1854 prompted Japan to open
its doors to industrialization. Japan ended feudalism and established a centralized empire
that built up an industrial sector by the end of the nineteenth century. Japan, however,
remained poor in natural resources, a situation that furthered its quest for empire to acquire
resources to run its industries. In Egypt, attempts at industrialization met with limited suc-
cess because of the intervention of Great Britain.