popular rights and privileges as they enjoy, or such as the English enjoy under a constitutional monarchy. It must be remembered that the Japanese constitution was framed principally from German models, as best suited to the conditions in Japan at that time. The American Republic and the British Empire were too radical in their political constitutions to be followed by a nation emerging from centuries of feudalism and absolute imperialism. The modifications of imperialism could not be too extreme or too sudden, but must be slight and gradual. The people as a whole must be educated up to the point where they could understand and appreciate, not only political rights and privileges, but also political duties and responsibilities. Fukuzawa, the great Commoner of Japan, once wrote as follows:
Owing to the peculiar customs which have for so long existed, we are not at all sensitive about our privileges and our rights.
The Japanese people needed to be gradually educated up to an appreciation of popular rights and duties. Thus the Constitution was to be, in a sense, the school-master to lead them to Constitutionalism.
Now, this subject of "Constitutional Imperialism in Japan" may be conveniently divided into the following topics:
| I. | The Imperial Prerogative. | |
| II. | The Privy Council. | |
| III. | The "Elder Statesmen." | |
| IV. | The Cabinet. | |
| V. | The Imperial Diet. | |
| A.House of Peers. | ||
| B.House of Representatives. | ||
| VI. | The Judiciary. | |
| VII. | The Rights and Duties of Subjects. | |
| VIII. | Political Parties. | |
| IX. | Public Opinion. | |
| X. | Conclusions. |
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