I'm playing China. It's 1875, and I'm not even halfway to westernization yet. I have 2% clergy nationwide (and I'm still encouraging it with my singular national focus) but the RP is trickling in so slow.. if this is how it's supposed to be it feels like China and other uncivs that start with almost 0% literacy are just unfun by design.
Are you sphered? How high is your Con and Mil? Who is in your UH? Reactionaries and Anarcho liberals block progress. High Mil makes Liberals and Conservatives support reform, which lowers the cost of reform.