The First Imperial Diet and Jiyuto : Some thoughts on the 'betrayal' of the Jiyuto by the Tosa faction

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Other Title
  • 第一議会と自由党 : 「土佐派の裏切り」考
  • ダイイチ ギカイ ト ジユウトウ トサハ ノ ウラギリ コウ

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Abstract

In September 1890 the Daidokurabu, Saikojiyuto, Aikokukoto and the Kyushudoshikai together re-formed the Jiyuto in order to participate in Diet politics. Two months later, Jiyuto members sat in the First Imperial Diet. Jiyuto Diet representatives were determined as was the government, that this inaugural Asian parliament should not end in failure. This determination had been apparent even before the inauguration of the Diet, during the process of deciding Jiyuto policy towards the Diet. Furthermore, this determination was not the sole preserve of the 'traitorous' Aikokukoto group led bj Itagaki Taisuke, but rather enveloped all the Jiyuto Diet members. In this sense, it can be said that the compromise between the government and the Jiyuto which emerged during the first Diet was inevitable. It was precisely because of the tacit agreement with in the party to compromise with the government that Itagaki, who had preciously instigated the 'betrayal' was elected as party president, and this same action also allowed the Jiyukurabu -the 'traitors' who had left the party -to return peacefully to the Jiyuto within a short time. It can be seen from this that the cause of the 'betrayal' did not lie simply in the bribe received from the government. What sort of faction structure emerged in the Jiyuto during the first Diet? Which of the four original groups a Jiyuto Diet representative had belonged to was certainly one determinant of faction membership. This was particularly the case with the Aikokukoto group. However, that was not the only factor involved. In general, the factions seem to have been very fluid. The development of these factions will be the subject of a future paper.

Journal

  • SHIGAKU ZASSHI

    SHIGAKU ZASSHI 95 (2), 153-173,288, 1986

    The Historical Society of Japan

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