6. Social Transformation and Public Order
The Meiji government’s reforms aimed to establish a new social order based on equality before the law, moving away from the hereditary class system. This shift threatened the samurai’s traditional status and privileges, leading to significant resistance. The most notable manifestation of this opposition was the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877, led by Saigō Takamori, a former samurai and hero of the Meiji Restoration. The rebellion was ultimately suppressed, marking the definitive end of the samurai era and the consolidation of the new social order. (history.com)
