Comparing Japan and Russia's Response to industrialization before 1914.

In the early 19th century Russian rulers did anything in their power to keep the "French plague" from infiltrating Russia. The "French Plague" was a gradual move towards freedom and a more influential say in government. Russia avoided the "French Plague" by a period of isolation and oppression of their people. Japan also had a long period of isolation. The Japanese believed in the Mandate of Heaven or that there culture was the best. Because of their ethnocentric culture, only one Japanese port, Nagasaki, was open to traders once a year. During the late 19th century, both Russia and Japan were forced to make reforms and modernize by industrialization. They both had to do so rapidly because of Western interference and the West's increasing power in trade. During the early 20th century, Russia and Japan had managed to reform, industrialize, and make sufficient changes to build powerful nations, although they still couldn't compete with the West's supreme military and technological strength. The industrialization process for both Russia and Japan began during the same time period because of this they both shared many similar industrial responses, but also contrasted in many ways. Both Russia and Japan had some common characteristics, which explained how they kept independent from Western interference for such a long period of time. The two nations both new that learning from outsiders could profit them and not necessarily destroy their culture. Industrialization was easy for them because they followed a system of borrow and improve from other countries. Through Japan's Tokugawa shogunate and Russia's tsarist empire, both nations improved their political success. Instead, they used the state to pay for changes that in the West was backed by private businesses. In both Russia and Japan their rulers received more power. By emancipating the Russian serfs and the peasant class, both nations had a large labor force. Besides similarities there were also many differences in