ABSTRACT
The Taisho era was a period during which concepts as individual rights, freedom, and democracy flourished in the intellectual and cultural realms. The Taisho intellectuals were not burdened with the task of "enriching and strengthening" the nation as were their predecessors in the Meiji era. Taisho Japan was also characterized by a thriving popular culture. In December 1931 the government, headed by Inukai, finally took Japan off the gold standard and restored the embargo on gold. Yamagata had reconciled himself to a party government headed by Hara, a man he saw as being an essentially responsible leader. At home, civilian and military extremists managed to put an end to party government when they assassinated Prime Minister Inukai on May 15, 1932. These events marked the end of an era of parliamentary and democratic ascendancy and the beginning of a grim era of assassinations and wars.
