How Did The Meiji Constitution Changed The Japanese Political System
The Meiji Constitution ultimately changed the political system in Japan. Promulgated in in 1889, this constitution imposed a new system of government that replaced the old government structure of the Tokugawa Era. In the 19th century, Japan began to realize that their isolationist political views were lagging behind those of the expanding western world. By studying constitutional systems in Europe, the Meiji Officials wrote the constitution in order to combat the threatening western world and the increasing poverty on the home front. The constitution, written for the Japanese people, focused on implementing a constitutional monarchy with an elected assembly and an independent judiciary with a two tier legislation. The first of its kind in
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It declares that the Japanese inherited the rights of sovereignty from their ancestors. Without them, the Japanese citizens would not have had the opportunity to reconstruct their government and write a Constitution. By calling them “Our Ancestors,” the constitution reaffirms the cultural importance of ancestry in society. The constitution speaks highly of the “benevolent care and affectionate vigilance” that the ancestors placed on the development of the intellectual, economic, and moral welfare of their people. The Meiji Officials insist that their ancestral past should be synthesized with their new modern future. The constitution also directly speaks to its nation by calling the Japanese citizens “our beloved subjects.” This language is implemented specifically to unify groups of people, like the domain leaders, Bakufu supporters, and loyalist samurai who spent years in political conflict among one another. The writers of the constitution knew that in order to move forward in modernity they needed to convince the torn nation to “assume the duty of allegiance.” They needed to band together the political factions of the 1850’s and 1860’s to to be able to reaffirm the power of the state. It is written that it is not only the duty of the Ministers of the State to carry out the constitution, but also the job of the present and future beloved subjects. Every subject
It declares that the Japanese inherited the rights of sovereignty from their ancestors. Without them, the Japanese citizens would not have had the opportunity to reconstruct their government and write a Constitution. By calling them “Our Ancestors,” the constitution reaffirms the cultural importance of ancestry in society. The constitution speaks highly of the “benevolent care and affectionate vigilance” that the ancestors placed on the development of the intellectual, economic, and moral welfare of their people. The Meiji Officials insist that their ancestral past should be synthesized with their new modern future. The constitution also directly speaks to its nation by calling the Japanese citizens “our beloved subjects.” This language is implemented specifically to unify groups of people, like the domain leaders, Bakufu supporters, and loyalist samurai who spent years in political conflict among one another. The writers of the constitution knew that in order to move forward in modernity they needed to convince the torn nation to “assume the duty of allegiance.” They needed to band together the political factions of the 1850’s and 1860’s to to be able to reaffirm the power of the state. It is written that it is not only the duty of the Ministers of the State to carry out the constitution, but also the job of the present and future beloved subjects. Every subject