... answer only to the emperor, and so any issue concerning military action was out of the hands of the lower house. Finally, the role of the emperor himself as the ultimate source of Japanese authority meant that any action on the part of government could be overruled by recourse to an imperial prerogative. As present in the opinion of some Japanese ... egalitarianism seemed unable overcome the social prejudices of many of the 'coterie adherents'21. This failure to effectively translate liberal ideals into social action, coupled with the readiness of progressive actors to compromise with...

• Word Count: 2458
• Approx Pages: 10
• Grade Level: Graduate