Abstract：
How does a regime change influence elite mobility? By collecting data on elites after the Meiji Restoration in Japan in 1868, through which Japan transitioned from a feudal regime to a modern regime, we provide new evidence that the impact of the regime change on elite mobility varies across the stages of the regime change. We analyze the impact of the regime change from two aspects: (1) the composition of elites or elite membership and (2) the internal hierarchy within them. The regime change opened an opportunity for commoners to join the elite group. After the Meiji Restoration, the share of elites whose fathers were commoners in the former regime increased, as did the influence of meritocracy on elite ranks. However, once the new regime was established, the elite hierarchy started to reflect the social stratum of the former regime and the influence of meritocracy declined.
摘要：
政权更迭如何影响精英流动？通过收集1868年日本明治维新后的精英数据，日本从封建政权过渡到现代政权，我们提供了新的证据，表明政权更迭对精英流动的影响在政权更迭的各个阶段有所不同。我们从两个方面分析了政权更迭的影响：（1）精英或精英成员的组成；（2）他们内部的层次结构。政权更迭为平民加入精英团体提供了机会。明治维新后,在前政权中父亲是平民的精英比例增加了，精英管理对精英阶层的影响也是如此。然而,一旦新政权建立，精英阶层开始反映前政权的社会阶层，精英统治的影响力下降。
