Why the Mito school scholars think that the restoration of the Emperor as the political authority was essential for defending Japan

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The perceived threat of the Western imperial nations

In the early 19th century, Japan began to face increasing pressure from the Western imperial nations. The Western nations were expanding their empires in Asia and Africa, and they were interested in opening up Japan to trade and commerce. The Mito school scholars saw the Western nations as a threat to Japan's independence and culture.

The need for a strong and united Japan

The Mito school scholars believed that Japan needed to be a strong and united country in order to defend itself against the Western threat. They argued that the restoration of the Emperor as the political authority would unite the country and give it a strong leader.

The role of the Emperor in defending Japan

The Mito school scholars believed that the Emperor had a special role to play in defending Japan. They argued that the Emperor was the divine head of state and that his authority was superior to that of the shogun. They also believed that the Emperor would be more effective at leading Japan in a time of crisis than the shogun.

The Mito school's influence on the Meiji Restoration

The Mito school scholars played a significant role in the Meiji Restoration of 1868. The Meiji Restoration was a political movement that overthrew the Tokugawa shogunate and restored the Emperor to power. The Mito school scholars provided the ideological justification for the Meiji Restoration and helped to mobilize support for the movement.

Here are some specific examples of how the Mito school scholars' views on Japanese history, culture, and the Western threat influenced their belief that the restoration of the Emperor was essential for defending Japan:

• The Mito school scholars believed that Japan had a divine mission to spread its culture and values to the rest of the world. They saw the Western nations as a threat to this mission because they were trying to impose their own culture and values on Japan.
• The Mito school scholars believed that the Emperor was the head of the state and the source of all political authority in Japan. They argued that the shogun was a usurper and that the only way to restore Japan to its rightful place in the world was to restore the Emperor to power.
• The Mito school scholars believed that the Western nations were a threat to Japan's independence. They argued that the Western nations were trying to colonize Japan and to exploit its resources. They believed that the only way to protect Japan from the Western threat was to unite the country under the leadership of the Emperor.

The Mito school scholars' views were highly influential in the Meiji Restoration. Their belief that the restoration of the Emperor was essential for defending Japan against the Western threat helped to justify the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate and the restoration of the Meiji Emperor to power.

Conclusion

The Mito school scholars believed that the restoration of the Emperor as the political authority was essential for defending Japan against the perceived threat of the Western imperial nations because they believed that:

• Japan had a divine mission to spread its culture and values to the rest of the world, and the Western nations were a threat to this mission.
• The Emperor was the head of the state and the source of all political authority in Japan, and the only way to restore Japan to its rightful place in the world was to restore the Emperor to power.
• The Western nations were a threat to Japan's independence, and the only way to protect Japan from the Western threat was to unite the country under the leadership of the Emperor.

The Mito school scholars' views were highly influential in the Meiji Restoration, and their belief that the restoration of the Emperor was essential for defending Japan against the Western threat helped to justify the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate and the restoration of the Meiji Emperor to power.

Sample Answer

The Mito school scholars believed that the restoration of the Emperor as the political authority was essential for defending Japan against the perceived threat of the Western imperial nations for several reasons.

The Mito school's view of Japanese history and culture

The Mito school scholars were neo-Confucian scholars who developed a unique view of Japanese history and culture. They believed that Japan was a unique and superior country with a divine mission to spread its culture and values to the rest of the world. They also believed that the Emperor was the head of the state and the source of all political authority in Japan.