ABSTRACT
IN any country in the world a group which sets out to make its influence predominant will only be successful if it is able to appeal to something inherent in a nation’s character. The preceding chapter attempted to set forth the historical and ethical background against which militarism might have an appeal. But mere background is of no effect if a group which fosters militarist intentions is unable to obtain political power. For without that power such a group is forced to work through other groups which may have no militarist intentions. Its task then becomes doubly difficult. A discussion of the political structure of Japan, therefore, seems pertinent in order to show, in the first place, how democratic control of the machinery of State has been impeded by the Constitution, so that it is possible for persons or groups other than those elected to the Diet by the suffrage of the country to play a significant part in the formulation and direction of national policy, and, in the second place, that, though liberal forces have indeed striven to attain political power, their methods have militated against their chances of success, and have discredited them in the eyes of the public.
