The Grand Game and Economic Growth: The Meiji Restoration

Abstract

This paper introduces the concept of the “Grand Game” as an important element in the analysis of economic growth, particularly for less developed countries, and uses Japan's Meiji Restoration to illustrate it. Acemoglu and Robinson (2012) cite the Meiji Restoration as an example of a catalyst for economic growth; however, when examining the historical facts, it becomes clear that the political institutions of the country in question, on which Acemoglu and Robinson place great importance, were insufficient to fully explain the country's economic progress at that time and that the strategies and policies of the world's major powers (which we refer to as the ‘Grand Game’ in this paper) had a significant influence.