The Significance of The "Charter Oath" in The Formation of the Modern State in Meiji Japan

This article analyzes the historical and conceptual significance of the “Charter Oath” (五箇条の御誓文), proclaimed in 1868, in the process of the formation of the Meiji state. The study examines this document as an initial ideological foundation of the Meiji era and highlights the role of the principles it advanced – mutual consultation, social cooperation, the abolition of outdated feudal customs, and the pursuit of “knowledge throughout the world”– in the construction of a modern state. The article interprets the Charter Oath as a means of reshaping political legitimacy and as an important document expressing the balance between tradition and modernization. Furthermore, its influence on political centralization, social reforms, the education system, and the formation of national state institutions is revealed through a historical-analytical approach. According to the findings, the Charter Oath functioned not only as a programmatic document of Meiji modernization but also as an ideological foundation of modern Japanese statehood.

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