From Democracy to FascismAUTHORITARIAN REGIMES: JAPAN

*SEQ Examinable

Reasons for Failure of Japanese Democracy

DIET’S INEFFECTIVENESSCORRUPTIONECONOMIC PROBLEMS

Taisho Emperor - son of the Meiji Emperor. His reign was known as the era of Taisho Democracy (Reigned from 1912 – 1926)

The Diet’s Limited Power

2 HOUSESHouse of Peers – members of

imperial family, Japanese nobles who’re nominated by Emperor

House of Representatives – Elected by Japanese pple. Emperor can dissolve house.

The Imperial Diet in session

The Diet’s Limited Power

HOWEVER, REAL POWER WAS WITH EMPEROR, GENRO, ARMY & NAVY MINISTERSJAPAN HAD NO DEMOCRATIC TRADITIONEMPEROR USUALLY APPOINTED MINISTERS WHO WERE LOYAL TO HIM – MANY OF THESE WERE OLD & CONSERVATIVE.MANY SAW CIVILIAN POLITICIANS AS WEAK & SOFT, ESP. IN JP FOREIGN POLICY

Corruption

ZAIBATSUS WERE SUPPORTING & BANKROLLING POLITICIANS & THEIR ELECTION CAMPAIGNSHAD A LOT OF INFLUENCE IN THE GOVT.COULD INFLUENCE LAW-MAKING IN THEIR FAVOUR.

Economic Problems

RICE FARMERS HAD LITTLE LAND & HAD TO PAY HIGH RENTALWORKERS ALSO HAD TO PUT UP WITH LONG HOURS & HARSH WORKING CONDITIONSTRADE IMBALANCE – NEEDED TO IMPORT FOOD TO FEED GROWING POPULATION

Japanese rice farmers faced very harsh working conditions

Great Depression

PROTECTIONISM OCCURREDJAPANESE EXPORTS SUFFEREDSILK INDUSTRY WAS HARDEST HITHIGH UNEMPLOYMENT & INFLATIONJAPANESE BEGAN TO BLAME THE DEMOCRATIC GOVT.

Japanese silk farmers feeding silk worms – silk was Japan’s major export in the early 1900s.

The Rise of Fascism

EXTERNAL REASONS

Worsening foreign relations with west

Rise of Chinese nationalism

INTERNAL REASONS

Showa RestorationPatriotic SocietiesStrong Military Influence

Il Duce’s influence had extended to the far east.

External – Worsening Foreign Relations

COMPETITION WITH AMERICA OVER PACIFIC ISLANDSLON REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE EQUALITY OF RACESWASHINGTON NAVAL CONFERENCE (1921) – JAPAN RECEIVED UNFAVOURABLE NAVAL RATIO AMERICA (5) : BRITAIN (5) : JAPAN (3)

Competition over the Pacific Islands strained Japanese relations with America.

The Imperial Navy resented being treated as a 2nd rate power, especially when it had defeated the Russians & Chinese in naval battles

Worsening Foreign Relations

LONDON DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE (1930) – MILITARY FELT THAT CIVILIAN GOVT WAS SOFT.STRICT AMERICAN IMMIGRATION LAWS (1920S) – MADE JAPANESE FEEL INFERIOR

By the early 1900s, many Japanese immigrants or issei had flocked to America in search of a better life

External – Rise of Chinese Nationalism

JAPAN DEFEATED CHINA IN 1894-95 SINO-JAPANESE WARSINCE THEN, EXPLOITED CHINA’S WEAKNESSTOV AWARDED SHANTUNG PENINSULA TO JAPAN – SPARKED OFF MAY 4TH MOVT & ANTI-JAPANESE SENTIMENTSSAW CHINA’S VAST RESOURCES AS ANSWER TO ECONOMIC PROBLEMSWANTED TO SUPPLANT CHINA AS ASIA’S NO. 1 POWER

Chinese protestors take to the streets in outrage over Japanese seizure of Shantung.

Rise of Chinese Nationalism

The foreign powers helping themselves to a piece of China

The giant killer

Internal Reasons – Showa Restoration

SHOWA RESTORATION – EDUCATION EMPHASISED INTENSE NATIONALISM & ANTI-FOREIGN SENTIMENTSALSO FOCUSED ON BLIND LOYALTY TO THE EMPEROR.

Showa Emperor or more commonly known by his name, Hirohito. (Reigned 1926 – 1989)

Patriotic Societies

ULTRA-NATIONALISTIC ORGANISATIONSPUSHED FOR AGGRESSIVE FOREIGN POLICY & MILITARISMBELIEVED JP’S DESTINY WAS TO “GO FORTH, CONQUER & RULE!”MANY OF THESE SOCIETIES WORKED AGAINST THE CIVILIAN GOVT WHOM THEY BELIEVED WERE SOFT

The rising sun flag of Imperial Japan. A symbol of Japanese aggression & imperialism

Increasing Military Influence

MILITARY HAD BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN BATTLES SINCE 1895.MADE MILITARY VERY INFLUENTIALPEOPLE SAW MILITARY ACTION AS THE ANSWER TO THEIR PROBS, ALSO SAW CIVILIAN GOVT AS WEAKMILITARY WERE SOON ACTING INDEPENDENTLY FROM CIVILIAN GOVT.

Military Takeover of Japan

PM KI INUKAI WAS ASSASSINATED BY ARMY IN 1932HIS MURDERERS SERVED LIGHT SENTENCESSUCCEEDING PMS FELT INCREASINGLY PRESSURED BY MILITARY’S AMBITIONS.

By the mid 1930s, Japan had become a military controlled government.

Reasons for Failure of Japanese Democracy

DIET’S INEFFECTIVENESSCORRUPTIONECONOMIC PROBLEMS

Rise of Fascism

EXTERNAL REASONSWorsening foreign

relations with westRise of Chinese

nationalism

INTERNAL REASONSShowa

RestorationPatriotic

SocietiesStrong Military

Influence