Isabella Carter
The Meiji Constitution of 1889 was Japan's first written constitution, establishing a mixed constitutional and absolute monarchy. While it guaranteed civil rights and liberties, the Meiji Constitution was ambiguous and self-contradictory, leaving the interpretation of its democratic or authoritarian nature to government leaders. The document also failed to mention the cabinet, leading to a protracted struggle for control between government leaders and elected politicians. With the rise of militarism in the 1930s, undemocratic interpretations of the Meiji Constitution became mainstream, and it was eventually replaced by a U.S.-approved constitution after World War II.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ambiguous and self-contradictory wording | |
| Lack of clarity on the relationship between the cabinet and the Diet | |
| Lack of public debate during drafting | |
| Concentration of political power in a small group of government leaders responsible to the emperor, not the people | |
| Interpretation as a justification for authoritarian rule | |
| Inadequate protection of individual freedoms | |
| Lack of free elections and real political parties | |
| Inequality and denial of equal rights to women | |
| Affirmation of dictatorial imperial powers | |
| Inadequate democratic qualities |
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What You'll Learn
The Meiji Constitution's ambiguity
The Meiji Constitution of 1889 was replaced by a new constitution in 1946, which came into effect in 1947. The Meiji Constitution was flexible and ambiguous, leaving the relationship between several major institutions of government undefined. This ambiguity allowed for undemocratic interpretations and political behaviour.
The Meiji Constitution was a blend of Western political thought and Japanese traditions. It was based on the Prusso-German and British constitutional models, with a particular focus on imperial power. The Emperor of Japan was the supreme ruler, with the power to make decisions on war and peace, and command of the army and navy. The Prime Minister and Cabinet were appointed by the Emperor and were not necessarily chosen from the elected members of parliament. The Constitution did not mention the Cabinet at all, which was one of the major ambiguities in the Meiji constitutional system. This allowed government leaders to assume they would maintain control over the Cabinet, while government opponents disagreed, leading to a protracted struggle for control.
The Meiji Constitution also established clear limits on the power of the executive branch and the Emperor, and created an independent judiciary. Civil rights and civil liberties were guaranteed, but in many cases, these were limited by law. The Constitution could be interpreted as either authoritarian or liberal-democratic, and it was this ambiguity that allowed for undemocratic behaviour. For example, while the Meiji Constitution protected free speech, the government prohibited what it considered "dangerous thoughts".
The rise of militarism in the 1930s led to increasingly undemocratic interpretations of the Meiji Constitution, and the military dominated the government from 1930 until the end of World War II. After Japan's defeat in World War II, the occupying Allied Powers ordered a revision of the Constitution to make it more democratic. This resulted in the "MacArthur Constitution", which replaced imperial rule with a form of Western-style liberal democracy.
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The concentration of power in the Emperor
The Meiji Constitution of 1889 was a blend of Western political thought and Japanese traditions. While the document granted citizens several freedoms, it also concentrated power in the hands of the Emperor. The Constitution established the Emperor as the supreme ruler of Japan, with the Prime Minister and Cabinet as his followers. The Emperor was granted control of the army and navy, and the power to make decisions on war and peace.
The Meiji Constitution was influenced by Prussian, German, and British models of governance. It established a bicameral parliament, known as the Diet, with an elected lower house and an unelected upper house, or House of Peers. The Constitution also created an independent judiciary, separate from the executive branch. However, the relationship between the Diet and the Cabinet remained ambiguous, with the Constitution specifying that ministers were responsible to the Emperor, not the Diet.
The Meiji Constitution has been criticised for allowing undemocratic patterns of political behaviour. While it granted citizens certain freedoms, these were limited by law, and the Constitution has been interpreted as affirming dictatorial imperial powers. The concentration of power in the Emperor and the ambiguity of the document led to interpretations that justified authoritarian rule.
The Meiji Constitution was replaced by a new constitution in 1946, following the end of World War II and the occupation of Japan by the Allied forces. The new constitution, known as the "Postwar Constitution" or the "MacArthur Constitution", replaced imperial rule with a form of Western-style liberal democracy, stating that "sovereign power resides with the people".
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The constitution's interpretation
The Meiji Constitution, enacted in 1889, was Japan's first written constitution. It was influenced by Prussian and British constitutional models and established a mixed constitutional and absolute monarchy. The constitution was promulgated by Emperor Meiji, and it outlined the organisation of the first National Diet of Japan, including a House of Representatives and a House of Peers.
While the Meiji Constitution granted civil rights and liberties to citizens, these were often subject to limitations by law. For example, free speech was protected, but the government could prohibit "dangerous thoughts". The constitution also failed to address the role of the cabinet, which had been created in 1885, leaving the relationship between the cabinet and the Diet ambiguous.
The Meiji Constitution was criticised for its ambiguous wording and self-contradictions, which allowed for undemocratic interpretations and political behaviour. While some scholars interpret the Meiji Constitution as undemocratic, affirming dictatorial imperial powers, others argue that it could also be interpreted as a highly democratic document. For example, Professor Minobe Tatsukichi of Tokyo Imperial University proposed the theory of the emperor as an organ of the state, suggesting that the emperor, as the supreme organ, should conduct politics for the group as a whole, including Diet members and ordinary citizens.
The rise of militarism in the 1930s led to antidemocratic interpretations of the Meiji Constitution becoming mainstream. The military was able to exert control without violating the constitution, and Japan followed the road of militarism into war with China and the United States. After World War II, the Allied Occupation forces concluded that the Meiji Constitution was flawed and incapable of supporting true democracy. As a result, the constitution was radically rewritten, and the new "'Postwar Constitution'" came into effect in 1947, replacing imperial rule with a Western-style liberal democracy.
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The constitution's undemocratic nature
The Meiji Constitution of 1889 was enacted after the Meiji Restoration in 1868, which restored direct political power to the emperor for the first time in over a millennium. The Meiji Constitution established a mixed constitutional and absolute monarchy, modelled on the Prussian and British systems. While the Meiji Constitution did grant citizens many freedoms, it was also undemocratic in nature, concentrating political power in the hands of the emperor and a small group of government leaders.
The Meiji Constitution was drafted without public debate and was ambiguous in wording, leaving the relationship between several major institutions of government undefined. Notably, the constitution did not mention the cabinet, which had been created in 1885. This ambiguity allowed for undemocratic patterns of political behaviour, as government leaders assumed they would maintain control over the cabinet, while government opponents disagreed. The Meiji Constitution also failed to address the selection process for cabinet members, who were not necessarily chosen from the elected members of parliament.
The Meiji Constitution established a bicameral parliament, or Diet, with an elected lower house and an unelected upper house, or House of Peers. The emperor appointed the prime minister and cabinet, and was granted supreme control of the army and navy. While the constitution established limits on the power of the executive branch and the emperor, it also affirmed the emperor's status as the sole source of political authority, with the third article stating, "The Emperor is sacred and inviolable." The constitution could thus be interpreted as affirming dictatorial imperial powers, and with the rise of militarism in the 1930s, antidemocratic interpretations of the document became mainstream.
The Meiji Constitution was replaced by a new constitution in 1946, following the end of World War II and the surrender of Japan in 1945. The occupying General Headquarters of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers ordered Prime Minister Shidehara Kijuro to revise the constitution to make it more democratic. The Meiji Constitution was thus replaced by a "Postwar Constitution" or "MacArthur Constitution", which replaced imperial rule with a form of Western-style liberal democracy.
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The need for a more democratic Japan
The Meiji Constitution of 1889 was a response to the Meiji Restoration, which restored direct political power to the emperor for the first time in over a millennium. The Meiji Constitution was an attempt to define Japan as a capable, modern nation deserving of Western respect while preserving the power of the emperor. It was influenced by Western political thought, particularly the German and British models, and established a mixed constitutional and absolute monarchy.
However, the Meiji Constitution was criticised for its ambiguous wording and self-contradictions, which allowed for undemocratic interpretations and behaviours. While the Meiji Constitution granted civil rights and liberties to citizens, these were often limited by law. For example, free speech was protected, but the government prohibited "dangerous thoughts". The Meiji Constitution also failed to address the role of the cabinet, which had been created in 1885, and this ambiguity led to a protracted power struggle between government leaders and elected politicians.
The rise of militarism in the 1930s further undermined the democratic potential of the Meiji Constitution, as the military was able to exert control without violating the document. The constitution's affirmation of dictatorial imperial powers and concentration of political power in the hands of a small group of government leaders responsible to the emperor, not the people, contributed to an undemocratic interpretation.
After World War II, the occupying Allied Powers recognised the need for a more democratic Japan and ordered a revision of the Meiji Constitution. The Meiji Constitution was replaced by a new document, the postwar Constitution of Japan, which replaced imperial rule with a Western-style liberal democracy, stating that "sovereign power resides with the people". This revision, known as the "MacArthur Constitution", came into effect on May 3, 1947, and has never been revised or amended since.
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Frequently asked questions
The Meiji Constitution was replaced by the postwar Constitution of Japan during the Allied Occupation of Japan, which began in 1945. The new constitution came into effect in 1947.
The Meiji Constitution was considered flawed by the Allied Occupation as it was interpreted as undemocratic and was used to justify authoritarian rule.
The new constitution replaced imperial rule with a form of Western-style liberal democracy. It removed the emperor as the sole source of political authority and stated that "sovereign power resides with the people".
The Meiji Constitution gave citizens many freedoms, including freedom of religious belief, speech, and publication, as well as the liberty to hold meetings, form associations, and live where they pleased, within the boundaries of the law.
