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Taishō Democracy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Taishō Democracywas a liberal and democratic trend across the political, economic, and cultural fields in Japan that began roughly after theRusso-Japanese Warand continued until the end of theTaishō era(1912–1926). This trend was most evident in the field of politics, famously represented by the Taishō Democracy Movement(Đại chính デモクラシー vận động)and the establishment of the Seitō Naikaku System(Chính đảng nội các chế),arepresentative democracyin which the party with a majority inparliamentorganizes the cabinet.[1]The term "Taishō Democracy" has been widely used since the book "The History of Taishō Democracy(Đại chính デモクラシー sử,Taishō demokurashii Shi)"written byShinobu Seizaburō.[2]

Summary

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Establishment

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Although there are many theories about when Taishō Democracy began and ended, 1905 is often said to be the starting year of the Democratic era. 1905 was the year whenBloody Sundayhappened in Russia, which subsequently led to theRussian Revolution.[3]Bloody Sunday was instigated by loss of faith in the Tsarist government as a result of public discontent with the results of the Russo-Japanese War. In other words, the combination of the burden on the workers and general populace and the remote and costly war against Japan contributed greatly to the public unrest which sparked the 1905 revolution.[4]Meanwhile, a similar combination existed in Japan. During the war and even before the war, Japanese socialists stated that the war would need sacrifice from the people.Heimin Shinbunpointed out on 14 February 1904 that "The people will suffer for a long time from taxation for the war.".[5]Some Christians and women's liberationists expressed similar anti-war attitudes.[6]

The Russo-Japanese war ended in 1905, andthe peace treatywas signed. Although Japan won, the general populace was disappointed by the result of the peace treaty.[7]The Japanese people saw the peace treaty, which lacked major Russian territorial cessions and monetary reparations, as foreshadowing more sacrifice without benefits. Public anger toward the government gradually grew, and eventually led to the foundation of the movement against the Russo-Japanese war peace treaty.

Key Events

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There are many theories about the timing of the Taishō Democracy, but many historians agree that the following events are crucial to Taishō Democracy.

First of all, there was the Russo-Japanese War peace treaty protest movement and theHibiya incendiary incidentthat accompanied it.[8]The movement grew across the country and gradually exposed the people's dissatisfaction with their government. Over time, the movement transformed into the Movement to Protect Constitutional Government, thereby igniting theTaishō political crisis(Đại chính chính 変).[9]This was the first instance of a popular movement trying to replace the cabinet in Japanese history, and theKatsuracabinet collapsed only 53 days after its formation.[10]The rice riots of 1918(Mễ tao động)and the establishment of theHaraCabinet are considered to be a major milestone in Taisho democracy.[1]When the rice riots subsided, the universal suffrage movement(Phổ tuyển vận động)was in full swing and became a nationwide political movement.[11]Thegeneral election law(Phổ thông tuyển cử pháp)was enacted under the subsequent cabinet ofTakaaki Kato(Gia đằng cao minh).[12]In 1932,Rikken Seiyūkai(Chính hữu hội),Kenseikai(Hiến chính hội),andKakushin Club(Cách tân câu lặc bộ)launched a campaign to overthrowKiyoura Keigo's cabinet. The campaign grew into what came to be called the Second Constitutional Movement(Đệ nhị thứ hộ hiến vận động).[13]

Background

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Minpon Shugi

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Minpon Shugiis one form of democracy based on monarchical sovereignty that the political scientist Yoshino Sakuzo put forward in "Kensei no hongi o toite sono yushu no bi o nasu no michi o ronzu(Hiến chính の bổn nghĩa を thuyết いて kỳ hữu chung の mỹ を tế すの đồ を luận ず)".According to this thesis, Minpon Shugi has two main points. First, it is" the policy in exercising political power of valuing the profit, happiness, and opinions of the people. "[14]Second, it demands that "in the final determination of policies, the people's opinions must be valued highly."[15]In short, Minpon Shugi does not fully specify where sovereignty lies, and it can coexist with the monarchical system.[16]

At that time, people criticized Minshu Shugi, the concept of democracy based on popular sovereignty, because people were afraid of Minshu Shugi violating their monarchical system.[17]Yoshino tried to change the concept of democracy based on people's sovereignty (Minshu Shugi), to a concept of democracy based on monarchical sovereignty (Minpon Shugi), in order to fit "democracy" into Japanese society.

After WWI, Minpon Shugi became the ideology of the Taishō Democracy Movement. The Taishō Democracy Movement was led by activists who were inspired by the Minpon Shugi that Yoshino advocated.[18]

National discontent during the war

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The Russo-Japanese War caused serious damage to Japan's finances. Japan used foreign debt to start the war. It is said that the reason why Japan barely won was that the Russian government held back its main force for fear of revolution. Japanese soldiers were plagued by Russianmachine gunsand even some who survived were covered all over with wounds. The peace treaty offered by U.S.President Rooseveltachieved "more than expected," said a government-leaning newspaper at the time.[19]

On the other hand, the public reaction was the exact opposite. The people had sacrificed a great deal for the Russo-Japanese War. The government had imposed higher taxes on the citizens to pay for the war, and the peasants had had to pay most of their profits in taxes. The tax also dealt a blow to small and medium-sized businesses, and even during the war, the nation's silk cloth manufacturers' associations, wholesale brokers, union representatives, and the retail trade association came to Tokyo to oppose it. The same kind of opposition arose towards the salt monopoly.[20]Thus, dissatisfaction with the war grew from rural areas across the country to urban areas.

Effects of Taishō Democracy

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The nation's trend towards universal democracy and independence can be seen as products of Taishō Democracy. These effects can be seen in various fields in that era, for example:

Politics

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People started to express more of their opinions about the nation's decisions. In other words, people began to think for themselves, beyond what they were told by national leadership, and tried to exert political power to express their opinions. Political movements such as launching party and the movement for universal suffrage are some examples.[21]

Economy

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The tendency of independence of the capital occurred and people sought to be free from the regulations. In other words, people demanded alimited government.As a result, the power of capitalists or finance experts got stronger than before.[21]Moreover, people began the movement of abolition of tax and claimed a disarmament.[22][23]

Education

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Education for its own sake, independent of other concerns, was also advocated. University leadership and the press became independent of government, and people gained the ability to express their own opinions, independent from government views.[24]Moreover, the increase in the literacy rate allowed people to read more books and get more information.[25]

Women's Activists

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The social system of patriarchy still existed in Japan at that time; however, there had been a gradual change to the traditional position of women.Itō Noe,a feminist and editor of the magazineSeitō( "Bluestocking" ), complained that women did not have the same rights as men. Itō Noe, along with other women's activists such asHiratsuka RaichōandYoshiya Nobuko,tried to make changes to the system ofmale privilege,and aimed for the independence of women.[26]

See also

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References

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  1. ^abNihon no kin-gendaishi o dō miru ka.Iwanami Shoten. Iwanami Shinsho Henshūbu., nham ba thư điếm. Nham ba tân thư biên tập bộ. Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten. 2010. p. 81.ISBN978-4-00-431051-8.OCLC534643529.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. ^Shinobu, Seizaburo (1954).Taisho Democrashii shi.Tokyo: Nippon Hyoron Sha.
  3. ^Nhật bổn đại bách khoa toàn thư ( ニッポニカ )."ロシア cách mệnh".JapanKnowledge.Retrieved2020-08-01.
  4. ^Shinobu, Seizaburo (1954).Taisho Democrashii shi.Tokyo: Nippon Hyoron Sha. p. 3.
  5. ^Shinobu, Seizaburo (1954).Taisho Democrashii shi.Tokyo: Nippon Hyoron Sha. p. 7.
  6. ^Shinobu, Seizaburo (1954).Taisho Democrashii shi.Tokyo: Nippon Hyoron Sha. p. 9.
  7. ^Shinobu, Seizaburo (1954).Taisho Democrashii shi.Tokyo: Nippon Hyoron Sha. p. 15.
  8. ^Shinobu, Seizaburo (1954).Taisho Democrashii Shi.Tokyo: Nippon Hyoron Sya. p. 39.
  9. ^Shinobu, Seizaburo (1954).Taisho Democrashii Shi.Tokyo: Nippon Hyoron Sha. p. 232.
  10. ^Nhật bổn đại bách khoa toàn thư (ニッポニカ)."Đại chính デモクラシー".JapanKnowledge.
  11. ^Shinobu, Seizaburo (1954).Taisho Demokurashii Shi.Tokyo: Nippon Hyoron Sya. p. 505.
  12. ^Nhật bổn đại bách khoa toàn thư (ニッポニカ)."Phổ thông tuyển cử pháp".JapanKnowledge.
  13. ^Quốc sử đại từ điển."Hiến chính ủng hộ vận động".JapanKnowledge.
  14. ^De Bary, Wm. Theodore, 1919-2017. Gluck, Carol, 1941- Tiedemann, Arthur E. (2005).Sources of Japanese tradition.Columbia University Press. p. 169.ISBN0-231-12984-X.OCLC57750460.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  15. ^Sources of Japanese tradition.De Bary, Wm. Theodore, 1919-2017., Dykstra, Yoshiko Kurata. (2nd ed.). New York: Columbia University Press. 2001–2005. p. 172.ISBN0-231-12138-5.OCLC45137685.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: others (link)
  16. ^Mitani, Taichirō; tam cốc thái nhất lang (15 August 2013).Taishō demokurashī-ron: Yoshino Sakuzō no jidai(Daisanhan ed.). Tōkyō. p. 146.ISBN978-4-13-030157-2.OCLC856900297.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  17. ^Yoshino, Sakuzō, 1878-1933.; cát dã tác tạo, 1878-1933 (1984).Yoshino Sakuzō.Mitani, Taichirō., tam cốc thái nhất lang. (Shohan ed.). Tōkyō: Chūō Kōronsha. p. 119.ISBN4-12-400438-9.OCLC26618884.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. ^Mitani, Taichirō; tam cốc thái nhất lang (15 August 2013).Taishō demokurashī-ron: Yoshino Sakuzō no jidai(Daisanhan ed.). Tōkyō. p. 125.ISBN978-4-13-030157-2.OCLC856900297.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  19. ^Shinobu, Seizaburō (1978).Đại chính デモクラシー sử.Tokyo: NIPPON HYORON SHA. p. 14.
  20. ^Matsuo, Takayoshi (1994).Taishō democracy.Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten. p. 29.ISBN978-4006000554.
  21. ^abMitani, Taichirō; tam cốc thái nhất lang (15 August 2013).Taishō demokurashī-ron: Yoshino Sakuzō no jidai(Daisanhan ed.). Tōkyō. p. 1.ISBN978-4-13-030157-2.OCLC856900297.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  22. ^Mitani, Taichirō; tam cốc thái nhất lang (15 August 2013).Taishō demokurashī-ron: Yoshino Sakuzō no jidai(Daisanhan ed.). Tōkyō. p. 12.ISBN978-4-13-030157-2.OCLC856900297.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  23. ^Matsuo, Takayoshi, 1929-2014.; tùng vĩ tôn đoái, 1929-2014. (1994).Taishō demokurashī.Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten. p. 1.ISBN4-00-260184-6.OCLC31151962.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  24. ^Mitani, Taichirō; tam cốc thái nhất lang (15 August 2013).Taishō demokurashī-ron: Yoshino Sakuzō no jidai(Daisanhan ed.). Tōkyō. p. 2.ISBN978-4-13-030157-2.OCLC856900297.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  25. ^Nihon no kin-gendaishi o dō miru ka.Iwanami Shoten. Iwanami Shinsho Henshūbu., nham ba thư điếm. Nham ba tân thư biên tập bộ. Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten. 2010. p. 84.ISBN978-4-00-431051-8.OCLC534643529.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: others (link)
  26. ^Nhật bổn の cận hiện đại sử をどう kiến るか (Nihon no kin-gendaishi o dō miru ka; "How to view Japan's modern history" ).Tōkyō: Nham ba tân thư (Iwanami Shinsho). 2010. pp. 88–89.ISBN978-4-00-431051-8.OCLC534643529.
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