The Rise And Decline Of The Transcendentalism In The Political History Of Meiji Period

In this paper, to Ito Hirobumi and Yamagata Aritomo as the center of entire process from the rise and failure of the"transcendentalism"in mid-Meiji period. That, Kuroda Kiyotaka released the"transcendentalism"speech in 1889, and Ito Hirobumi established the Rikken Seiyukai in 1900.The behavior of itself which Ito Hirobumi formulated the Meiji Constitution shows that he is not a"proponent of transcendentalism". Kuroda Kiyotaka and Yamagata Aritomo did not plan to cooperate with the people's party, they would like to hanbatsu-based support the Meiji government, which obviously includes the contempt and conservative tendency for politicians on the people's party. But the"transcendentalism"shows its utopian nature after the contest in the first Imperial Parliament. Ito Hirobumi's party plan have not get supported by the high-level government menbers, so turn to seek cooperation with the Tosa faction of the Liberal Party, this is the resistance on"transcendentalism"in fact. Then Yamagata Aritomo, who as the"complete apostle of transcendentalism", also created a government party, which from the Daiseikai to the National Association. After the ninth council, Ito openly cooperation with the Liberal Party, which demonstrated that Ito Hirobumi's opposition on Yamagata in practice. Meanwhile, Itagaki Taisuke, the Liberal Party president, entered the cabinet, it shows that political party started close to the power of government, yet one foot in the door. Matsukata Masayoshi and Okuma Shigenobu established a united cabinet, under the system of the Meiji Constitution, hanbatsu can not ignore the people's Party, but the coalition has not immobilized, they will give away each other when face their own vital interests. After Ito Hirobumi formated the third cabinet, he started a second party plan, finally as industrialists do not support, Yamagata faction and bureaucracy's opposition and the establishment of Kenseitou, Ito temporarily abandoned his party plan. But Yamagata had to accept the Kenseitou's cabinet, formed a political fact of the party cabinet, which marks the decline of the"transcendentalism". Then, Yamagata formated the pure"transcendental cabinet"and worked for the rear of hanbutsu on bureaucracy and the military, Yamagata hold positions in the bureaucracy and the military, but also left the other powers to political parties. Finally, under the guidance of Ito, Ito and Kenseitou jointly set up the Rikken Seiyukai as an official government party, the"transcendentalism"totally failure.