centuries of bloodshed, has been made a matter of much comment in the
West. One writer exclaims, "History does not record another instance
where changes of such magnitude ever occurred within so short a time,
and it is astonishing that it only required eleven words to destroy
the ambition and power of a proud nobility that had with imperious
will directed the destiny of Japan for more than five hundred
years."[2]

But when we examine closely the circumstances which led to the
overthrow of feudalism and the influences which acted upon it, we
cannot but regard it as the natural terminus of the political flood
which was sweeping over the country. When such a revolution of thought
as that expressed in the proclamation of 1868 had taken place in the
minds of the leaders of society, when contact with foreigners had
fostered the necessity of national union, when the spirit of loyalty
of the Samurai had changed to loyalty to his Emperor, when his
patriotic devotion to his province had changed to patriotic devotion
to his country, then it became apparent that the petty social
organization, which was antagonistic to these national principles,
would soon be crushed.

If there is any form of society which is diametrically opposed to the
spirit of national union, of liberal thought, of free intercourse, it
is feudal society. A monarchical or a democratic society encourages
the spirit of union, but feudal society must, from its very nature,
smother it. Seclusion is the parent of feudalism. In our enlightened
and progressive century seclusion is no longer possible. Steam and
electricity alone would have been sufficient to destroy our Japanese
feudalism. But long before its fall our Japanese feudalism "was an
empty shell." Its leaders, the Daimios of provinces, were, with a few