The Meiji Constitution of 1889

Ben Howson
World History2 per. 2
02/05/15

A. The Preamble

1. The Japanese have many very important historical characteristics, but one of the most important one characteristics is respecting their ancestors, and being pure so that their descendants will also look up to them.

2. The Emperor is the highest sours of authority in Japan.

3. The importance of their ancestors, is that they are another representation of the family, and it is just a tradition to respect them, and have them in you mind.

B. The Emperor

1. The Emperor has the supreme command of the army and navy.
The Emperor declares war, makes peace, and concludes treaties
The Emperor determines the organization and peace standing of the army and navy.
The Emperor orders amnesty, pardon, commutation of punishment, and rehabilitation.
The Emperor confers titles of nobility, rank, orders, and other marks of honor.

2. Article 3states the Emperor as a godlike figure.

3. The Emperor had more power than the president of the USA, because Japan wasn't a democracy, they believed that one person should be in power, and have say in everything.

C. The Rights and Duties of Subjects

1. Article XVIII - Article XXXII deal with the duties of the people, and these basically state, that people have a right, pay taxes, can go into the army or navy, must follow the laws, nothing will happen to them unless they break the laws, right in court, and more rights, in which they have and don't, and the exceptions to those rights.

2. Japanese subjects are amenable to the duty of paying taxes, according to the provisions of law.
Japanese subjects are amenable to service in the army or navy, according to the provisions of law.
The conditions necessary for being a Japanese subject shall be determined by law.
No Japanese subject shall be arrested, detained, tried or punished, except according to law.
No Japanese subject shall be deprived of his rights of being tried by judges determined by law.

3. 7 of the 9 rights.

4. Many of the limitations on rights, are normally, just some sort of law, and they state it is allowed, as long as there is no law against it.

5. A subjects freedom was curtailed by wanting to maintain a heredity ruler.

D. Conclusions

1. To me, I believe that Japan is being very fare about its rules, and gives it's people some freedom and opportunities, but all of that could be taken away if they were to disobey the laws. But at the same time, Japan didn't give to much freedom to there people, because there is still a ruler, and that ruler needs to have power.

2. The thing that makes Japan unique and special, is that it is both modern and old. It still has it's ancient rituals, but at the same time, it contained many modern things.

3. The parts in which talked about people as subjects, is very western, as well as talking about the Emperor, and ancestors.