Crisis of Imperial Democracy

Era of party rule Hara Takashi (Kei), first party cabinet 1918 Hara Takashi (Kei), first party cabinet 1918 Regular alternation of Seiyūkai and Kenseikai (Minseitō) from Regular alternation of Seiyūkai and Kenseikai (Minseitō) from

Organizing from below Working class organizations in unions, considerable growth through 1920s Working class organizations in unions, considerable growth through 1920s Tenant farmers, likewise Tenant farmers, likewise Socialist and communist party organizing Socialist and communist party organizing Women act both within and outside these groups Women act both within and outside these groups

Response from above: two visions of “imperial democracy” 1. The conservative vision ( , ) The Seiyūkai party, and bureaucrats in Justice and Agriculture/Commerce Ministries Stresses order and harmony, from above, with modest participation slight opening to participation, including women and wage workers (works councils) assertive foreign policy, re. China in particular

2. The liberal vision of imperial democracy ( , 29-31) universal manhood suffrage, 1925 social programs -national health insurance, -stronger factory legislation, -unemployment insurance, -tenant dispute mediation law Cooperative diplomacy in China, and in arms control (naval treaty, 1930)

Peak of the liberal vision comes during second Minseitō administration ( ) proposed labor union bill, tenant farmer protection, civil rights for women Diet session, passes lower house, killed in House of Peers

The view from the end of 1920s Unprecedented moves toward a democratic polity universal male suffrage party government routinized gains for organized labor, farmers greater participation for women BUT: rising tide of criticism and unrest at home, resistance to empire in China, tensions with West a fragile grounding for a liberal democratic system Unintended developments, uncertain future :

Crisis of Imperial Democracy Causes: a multi-sided crisis sparked by global and domestic shocks Consequences: -A different sort of modern mass society -repudiation of “imperial democratic” modernity; Elaboration of alternative “statist” modernity

Depression Crisis: at home Stagnant 1920s--> banking crisis--> world depression

Depression Crisis: at home Crisis in rural Japan Landlord - tenant disputes

Depression Crisis: at home Crisis in rural Japan famine

Depression Crisis: at home Crisis in rural Japan: more daughters to brothels

Depression Crisis: at home Crisis in the cities UnemploymentUnemployment

Depression Crisis: at home Crisis in the cities 2. Small business failures skyrocket 1. Labor disputes surge

Depression Crisis: at home Gender anarchy? The modern girl

Depression Crisis Abroad Crisis abroad, two dimensions. (1) Tensions with West (2) Tensions with China

Crisis of Imperial democracy Crisis of Imperial democracy Perceptions of Japan at a dead end Threats all around: abroad, at home, rural and urban, all connected diary of General Ugaki Kazushige: Fuehrer wannabe A shared element in this critique, of left and right– common “radical” view of status quo

Breaking the Impasse Politics of assassination, repudiating party rule

Breaking the Impasse takeover of Manchuria

Breaking the Impasse takeover of Manchuria Continuing politics of assassination, repudiating party rule Prime Minister Hamaguchi Osachi, 1930 Finance Minister Inoue Junnosuke, 1932 Mitsui Chairman, Dan Takuma, 1932 Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi, 1932 Finance Minister Takahashi Korekiyo and several other cabinet ministers, 2/26/1936

Breaking the Impasse:2-26 (1936) incident