Minpon Shugi

Minpon Shugi (民本主義) is one form of "democracy" based on monarchical sovereignty. The word of Minpon Shugi is originated from Kayahara Kazan (茅原崋山), and Yoshino Sakuzō (吉野作造) found it useful to describe his thought. However, Yoshino said "I did not really believe that is a suitable word." and "I just used it because many people had already used the word."[1] Minpon Shugi does not violate imperial institution and thus is very important. This thought became widely accepted by the people who were passionate to see for better Japan and politics, that had an impact on Taishō Democracy and the general election law.[2]

Contents of Minpon Shugi

Minpon Shugi is one form of the democracy that the political scientist Yoshino Sakuzō put forward in the book called "Kensei no hongi o toite sono yushu no bi o nasu no michi o ronzu" (憲政の本義を説いて其有終の美を済すの途を論ず).[3] Yoshino Sakuzō defined the Minpon Shugi as "the policy in exercising political power of valuing the profit, happiness, and opinions of the people." This has two main points;[3]

First,"the ultimate end of the exercise of political power be the good of the people."[4] In ancient world, the people were only the tool of survival and prosperity of the powerful politicians, and retention of power. Since the Middle Age, the center of the politics became the warrior class, and the people were just the foundation. Even though politician at that time, such as Arai Hakuseki, argued the necessity of love for the people, it was only for the sake of the house. These structural ideas that sacrifice the human dignity for the interests of a few powerful people is awful and it should be rejected.[5]

Second, "in the final determination of policies, the people's opinions must be valued highly."[6] It should be up to the people to decide the purpose of politics because people can understand better what is the good for the people in general.[7]

The Differences between Minshu Shugi and Minpon Shugi

There are some translations of “democracy” in Japanese. Most people translate “democracy” into Minshu Shugi (民主主義), and also Japan follows in Minshu Shugi politics currently.[8] However, at the time of Yoshino’s writing, Minshu Shugi was thought to be contravening due to the discord with the imperial system.[9] Because the Dai-Nippon Teikoku Kenpō (大日本帝国憲法) decides Constitutional Monarchy,[10] people criticized that "democracy" stands with people’s sovereignty. Yoshino stated there are at least two meaning of "democracy". First, “in law the sovereignty of the nation resides in the people.” Second, “in politics the fundamental end of the exercise of the nation’s sovereignty should be the people.” He described that Minpon Shugi is a translation of the second meaning of “democracy”, and therefore it is different from Minshu Shugi in which the sovereignty resides in the people. One of the most important elements of Minpon Shugi is that Yoshino flexibly adapted “democracy” to Japanese society at that time.[11] The most crucial difference between Minshu Shugi and Minpon Shugi is the definition of the sovereignty.

Terminology

Minshu Shugi is written in Chinese Characters as "民主主義". Minpon Shugi is written in Chinese Characters as "民本主義". The difference of the two noun is one Chinese Character 主 and 本. 主[Shu] means "the first concern"[12] and "sovereignty" which uses same Chinese Character in Japanese, and 本[Pon] means "the base".[13] So, the direct translation from the Chinese Character of the word "Minshu Shugi" is "the sovereignty resides with the people principle",[14] and "Minpon Shugi" is "the people is the base principle".

Minshu Shugi

In his theory, Minshu Shugi which is the democracy based on popular sovereignty also has two kinds, and one should be ostracized immediately but the other is not necessarily endangerment. The first, Yoshino called it “absolute popular sovereignty,” has been set as sovereignty must be the people naturally. This stand point denies the monarchical system because it would mean monarch deprived the authority from the people. In this case, it cannot be helped to be thought “Minshu Shugi” as a dangerous thought. In the second, Yoshino called it “popular sovereignty by mutual consent,” the popular sovereignty has been decided by interpretation of constitution. It may not be evil because it does not reject the monarchical system. However, both of the Minshu Shugi have a problem of setting the place of sovereignty. Because Japan at the time of Yoshino's writing was imperial system, these definition of sovereignty was inappropriate.[15]

Minpon Shugi

Whereas the Minpon Shugi which is the democracy based on monarchical sovereignty "is not contingent on where legal theory locates sovereignty," which means the emperor can be the sovereignty. In that case, the principle of Minpon Shugi cannot interrupt the monarchical system.[16]

Criticism

Minpon Shugi

When Yoshino was writing his articles, there were some criticisms for Minpon Shugi. Yoshino pick those opinions and refused it in his writing. At the first, people castigated the idea of Minpon Shugi itself. Yoshino argued that some people do not distinguish the Minpon Shugi and Minshu Shugi. Also, Yoshino, said that "it's true that the history of constitutional government is full of revolutions" to the people who said Minpon Shugi is allied with Minshu Shugi and incompatible with monarchy because it tends to have revolutionary tendencies.[17] However, he added "Regardless of the revolutionary origins, trying to get rid of them is wrong" because "progress requires strenuous effort."[15]

Political Objective

There was also apprehensiveness for the contents of Yoshino's Minpon Shugi. Some pointed that "The goal of politics is the good of the people in general" disobeying the Japanese spirit of loyalty in terms of the conflict between sake of the Imperial Family and the people's good.[18] However, Yoshino claimed there is no contradiction between the imperial favor and the good of the people because there is only one Imperial Family in Japan and it does not conflict with the interests of the people. Even if it contravenes to the sake of imperial family, Minpon Shugi is just a statement of the way of sovereignty's policy not a law. Moreover, he claimed that the sovereign should treat the people in a good way in general, so the only people who would disagree are the privileged ones.[19]

Determination of Politics

People suggested "The policies should be decided with the people's opinion" goes against the spirit of the monarchist constitution. Yoshino rebuffed it, and again, said it is misunderstanding. In law, the sovereignty is sovereign. Minpon Shugi is only the policy of the sovereign in the exercise of its sovereignty. To the opinion of which is regarded as restrictions on the actions of the sovereign, he refuted that "it has been restricted from the start as the Constitution is a limitation," and "Limitations are in fact desirable and moral."[20]

Furthermore, some well-educated men discussed the people are not enough intelligence to join politics. Yoshino said because of the educational progress, People's Intelligence became quite high. Additionally, people just need to have some common sense to make a decision not create a new policy.[21]

There was thought that the general will, the will of the people does not exist, it does not actively move in one direction; however, according to Yoshino, the will of the people exists, and while it may sway that will, the essential direction is the same.[22]

Criticism after Yoshino's Writing

After Yoshino's book, "On the Meaning of Constitutional Government and the Method by which it can be Perfected", several socialists such as Ōsugi Sakae and Yamakawa Hitoshi criticized the idea of Yoshino.[23][24] Ōsugi Sakae strongly opposed by saying "Everywhere it's vague. It's full of contradictions. It's incoherent."[25] Those opponents were based on the understanding of Yoshino's separated "place of sovereignty" and "exercise of sovereignty".[26]

References
  1. Yoshino, Sakuzō, 1878-1933.; 吉野作造, 1878-1933 (1984). Yoshino Sakuzō [民本主義鼓吹時代の回顧]. Mitani, Taichirō., 三谷太一郎. (Shohan ed.). Tōkyō: Chūō Kōronsha. p. 208. ISBN 4-12-400438-9. OCLC 26618884.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. Matsuo, Takayoshi (1994). Taisho Democrashii. Tokyo: Iwanami. p. 6. ISBN 4-00-260184-6.
  3. Yoshino, Sakuzo. "Kensei no hongi o woite sono yushu no bi o seisu notto o ronzu". Chuo-koron. 1916/1.
  4. Sources of Japanese tradition. De Bary, Wm. Theodore, 1919-2017., Dykstra, Yoshiko Kurata. (2nd ed.). New York: Columbia University Press. 2001–2005. p. 169. ISBN 0-231-12138-5. OCLC 45137685.CS1 maint: others (link)
  5. Yoshino, Sakuzō, 1878-1933.; 吉野作造, 1878-1933 (1984). Yoshino Sakuzō. Mitani, Taichirō., 三谷太一郎. (Shohan ed.). Tōkyō: Chūō Kōronsha. p. 123. ISBN 4-12-400438-9. OCLC 26618884.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. Sources of Japanese tradition. De Bary, Wm. Theodore, 1919-2017., Dykstra, Yoshiko Kurata. (2nd ed.). New York: Columbia University Press. 2001–2005. p. 172. ISBN 0-231-12138-5. OCLC 45137685.CS1 maint: others (link)
  7. Yoshino, Sakuzō, 1878-1933.; 吉野作造, 1878-1933 (1984). Yoshino Sakuzō. Mitani, Taichirō., 三谷太一郎. (Shohan ed.). Tōkyō: Chūō Kōronsha. p. 129. ISBN 4-12-400438-9. OCLC 26618884.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. Japan knowledge, プログレッシブ英和中辞典. "de･moc･ra･cy". Japan knowledge. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  9. Narita, Ryuichi (2010). Nihon no kin-gendaishi o dō miru ka. Iwanami Shoten. Iwanami Shinsho Henshūbu., 岩波書店. 岩波新書編集部. Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten. p. 82. ISBN 978-4-00-431051-8. OCLC 534643529.
  10. National Diet Library (2003–2004). "Dainippon-teikoku-kenpou". Nihon-koku Kenpou no Tanjyou. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  11. Mitani, Taichiro (1995). Taisho Demokurashii Ron. Toky0: Tokyo University. p. 192. ISBN 978-4-13-030157-2.CS1 maint: location (link)
  12. プログレッシブ和英中辞典. "しゅ【主】". JapanKnowledge. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  13. プログレッシブ和英中辞典. "もと【本】". JapanKnowledge. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  14. Yoshino, Sakuzō; Mitani, Taichirō (1984). 吉野作造 (Shohan ed.). Tokyo: Chūō Kōronsha. p. 112. ISBN 4-12-400438-9. OCLC 26618884.
  15. De Bary, Wm. Theodore, 1919-2017. Gluck, Carol, 1941- Tiedemann, Arthur E. (2005). Sources of Japanese tradition. Columbia University Press. p. 169. ISBN 0-231-12984-X. OCLC 57750460.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. Sources of Japanese tradition. De Bary, Wm. Theodore, 1919-2017., Dykstra, Yoshiko Kurata. (2nd ed.). New York: Columbia University Press. 2001–2005. p. 168. ISBN 0-231-12138-5. OCLC 45137685.CS1 maint: others (link)
  17. Sources of Japanese tradition. De Bary, Wm. Theodore, 1919-2017., Dykstra, Yoshiko Kurata. (2nd ed.). New York: Columbia University Press. 2001–2005. p. 168. ISBN 0-231-12138-5. OCLC 45137685.CS1 maint: others (link)
  18. Yoshino, Sakuzō, 1878-1933.; 吉野作造, 1878-1933 (1984). Yoshino Sakuzō [Kensei no hongi o woite sono yushu no bi o seisu notto o ronzu]. Mitani, Taichirō., 三谷太一郎. (Shohan ed.). Tōkyō: Chūō Kōronsha. p. 123. ISBN 4-12-400438-9. OCLC 26618884.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. Yoshino, Sakuzō, 1878-1933.; 吉野作造, 1878-1933 (1984). Yoshino Sakuzō [Kensei no hongi o woite sono yushu no bi o seisu notto o ronzu]. Mitani, Taichirō., 三谷太一郎. (Shohan ed.). Tōkyō: Chūō Kōronsha. p. 126. ISBN 4-12-400438-9. OCLC 26618884.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  20. Yoshino, Sakuzō, 1878-1933.; 吉野作造, 1878-1933 (1984). Yoshino Sakuzō [Kensei no hongi o woite sono yushu no bi o seisu notto o ronzu]. Mitani, Taichirō., 三谷太一郎. (Shohan ed.). Tōkyō: Chūō Kōronsha. pp. 130–132. ISBN 4-12-400438-9. OCLC 26618884.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  21. Yoshino, Sakuzō, 1878-1933.; 吉野作造, 1878-1933 (1984). Yoshino Sakuzō [Kensei no hongi o woite sono yushu no bi o seisu notto o ronzu]. Mitani, Taichirō., 三谷太一郎. (Shohan ed.). Tōkyō: Chūō Kōronsha. pp. 133–138. ISBN 4-12-400438-9. OCLC 26618884.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. Yoshino, Sakuzō, 1878-1933.; 吉野作造, 1878-1933 (1984). Yoshino Sakuzō [Kensei no hongi o woite sono yushu no bi o seisu notto o ronzu]. Mitani, Taichirō., 三谷太一郎. (Shohan ed.). Tōkyō: Chūō Kōronsha. pp. 138–139. ISBN 4-12-400438-9. OCLC 26618884.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  23. 山川均, 1880-1958. (1966–2003). 山川均全集. Tokyo: Keisō Shobō. ISBN 4-326-34823-2. OCLC 22818322.
  24. Ōsugi, Sakae, 1885-1923.; 大杉栄, 1885-1923. (1996). Ōsugi Sakae hyōronshū [盲の手引きする盲――吉野博士の民主主義堕落論]. Asukai, Masamichi, 1934-2000., 飛鳥井雅道, 1934-. Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten. ISBN 4-00-331342-9. OCLC 37350676.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  25. Ōsugi, Sakae, 1885-1923; 大杉栄, 1885-1923. Zenshū [民主主義の寂滅]. Ōsugi Sakae Zenshū Henshū Iinkan,, 大杉栄全集編集委員会 (Shohan ed.). Tōkyō. ISBN 978-4-8272-0901-3. OCLC 904960606.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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