Choshu in the Meiji Restoration

The book explores the transformative period of the Meiji Restoration in Japan, focusing on the domain of Choshu and its pivotal role in modernizing the nation between 1853 and 1868. Historian Albert M. Craig challenges previous interpretations that highlight lower samurai and merchants as the main drivers of change, instead emphasizing the importance of traditional values and the contributions of the old society in shaping the new Meiji state. This study offers a fresh perspective on Japan's transition to a centralized bureaucratic state and industrial economy.