Meiji industrial development: A case study

The Japanese state, during the late nineteenth century, was being approached from imperial powers. A new government had ascended to power in Japan. This new government had to figure out a way to not become a colony. The solution for the new government was to develop the national economy. How was the new government going to accomplish this feat? The only countries that were developed in the world, at the time, were European countries and a former European colony. There are two theories the new government could adopt, mercantilist's policies or the liberalists model of economic development. The new government used mercantilist policies to develop the state. The Japanese needed and wanted to develop the national economy as quickly as possible. As we can see today, Japan is an economic power, and this power stems from the choices the Meiji government made.