The Meiji Constitution And The Government Of Japan

After the later 1890s, the Meiji Constitution was drafted and signed by the Japanese government. The constitution allowed for political parties to form and operated. The responsibilities of the political parties were to slash the government’s budget and to handle the economy. They operated on a bicameral government system. There was an upper and lower house of the government, similar to the United States. However, the one house that is worth noting is the lower house. Their responsibility was to approve budgets and pass laws. The Constitution had different strengths and weaknesses within the government of Japan. The major weakness is that, according to from what I read in the textbook, they did not have a checks and balances system. Because
of this, the government created institutions designed to limit the future influence of political parties. The most notable strength is that it helped limit the power of the emperor, by having another entity share the power to help make laws. The economy’s role was one of reform for the government. Early Meiji reforms lifted restrictions of trade barriers. Monopolistic guilds were abolished and helped open regional economies. Also worth noting is that the economic developments and changes helped the government improve the conditions of the industrial slums and pass social and labor legislation.