Militarism In Japan From The 1910s To The 1930s

From the 1910s to the 1930s, Japan experienced a unique trend in its rise of liberalism and conservatism. The modernization of the Meiji Period pre-1912 eventually led to the growth of public appeal towards militarism in the 1930s. Militarism’s roots in the modernizing of the Meiji period extended as far as the liberation of women. Taisho liberalism, a movement directly resulting from the modernization of Japan, introduced inclusive political parties and working women to modern Japan. However, by the 1930s, this liberalism was perceived to introduce capitalist greed and widespread prostitution. When the Great Depression and extreme political unrest plagued Japan in the late 20s and early 30s, Japanese public commentators assumed that Japan was being divinely punished. Various constituents in the Japanese public responded by resenting liberalism and the social ills it

While prostitution was prevalent in Japanese society long before the Taisho Era, its rationale changed with the growth of liberalism. In early modern Japan, prostitution helped men purge their sexual desires and had a limited scope of women who participated. However, the prostitution that developed after the modernization of Japan was more far-reaching and enabled women to have a steady income. Prostitution’s purpose was no longer only for the benefit of men but also for the economic benefit of women. Women began to earn their livings in cafes and dance halls, where they would flirt with men and negotiate prices for sexual acts. Because women felt liberated and embraced their sexuality, they became prostitutes. In the eyes of the Japanese public, prostitution was no longer for women who were perceived to be in a lower class standing. Instead, higher status women became prostitutes, which contributed to the view of social immorality in Japanese society between the Taisho Period and the Showa