君主制

Monarchists are often troubled by the perception that republican countries are more devoted to their form of government than monarchies are. It also often seems that the more radical the style of republic, the more revolutionary and destructive, the more zealous are its adherents. Especially in modern times, republics have seemed more committed to spreading their ideal form of government than monarchies have been. In the aftermath of World War I, for example, even though the Allies included monarchies and republics, all of the defeated Central Powers (with the exception of Bulgaria) became republics (Germany, Austria, Hungary and Turkey). In the aftermath of World War II the Kingdom of Italy was converted to a republic and republican powers like the United States, China and the Soviet Union saw monarchies brought down in Yugoslavia, Romania, Bulgaria, Manchuria, Korea, and Vietnam regardless of what the actual situation was in those lands. Many wanted the same thing to happen to Japan but, thankfully, cooler heads prevailed. Yet, after World War II, with the world being dominated by the Soviet Union and the United States, monarchies began to be destroyed all over the world in favor of republics based on either the Soviet or American models. It is no wonder that some loyal monarchists, faithful to the most ancient and natural form of government on earth, have often felt like republicans believe in their system more than monarchists do.

However, a shining example of a monarchy that acted proudly and righteously for the advancement of the monarchist principle was the Empire of Japan during its peak of power and prestige. In foreign policy, Japan always made a conscious effort to support the monarchist cause wherever possible and to ally with those who had a similar worldview to Japan, a respect for tradition, classical values and what has broadly been called the "imperial system". This was seen in the first formal alliance made by the Empire of Japan and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, two island nations, naval powers and constitutional monarchies. This was an alliance Japan scrupulously observed and which was to the benefit of both countries. It lasted until the United States forced Great Britain to choose between being friends with America or Japan and Britain chose America (which had disastrous results for everyone, even the Americans). It was also seen when Japan became the protecting power of Korea and when Korea was formally annexed to the Empire of Japan. The Joseon dynasty was retained and embraced and not humiliated or forced to go into exile.

Before World War II, the biggest blow struck against the principle of monarchy in Asia was undoubtedly the fall of the Qing Empire in China. The unfortunate fate that befell the last Emperor of China was cruel and unjust and the Empire of Japan took action quickly to help correct this injustice as much as possible. This led to an unprecedented event and one of the greatest opportunities to correct a past wrong and change the unfolding of history for the better that has ever been seen in the world and that was the creation of the Empire of Manchukuo and the restoration of HM Emperor Kangte by the Empire of Japan. If the Han Chinese wished to be a republic, Japan would accept that but the revolutionaries had no right to deprive the Manchu emperor of his throne in Manchuria which the Qing dynasty had held long before they ruled over China. They also had no right to deprive the Manchurian people of their traditional, legitimate ruler. The restoration of the monarchy in Manchuria by the Empire of Japan was one of the greatest deeds ever committed for the cause of legitimate government and traditional authority, which is the cause of monarchy. It was also not something that Japan had to do. There were, after all, Chinese republicans willing to work with Japan against the bandit Mao Zedong and the usurper Chiang Kai-shek. However, Japan restored 'the last emperor' because it was the just and righteous thing to do, no matter how much the Chinese republicans have denigrated it ever since.

This was also not the only case. Wherever Japanese forces marched, the cause of legitimate monarchy was supported and encouraged wherever possible. This included efforts to reunite under a traditional monarchy the people of Mongolia, the liberation of the Kingdoms of Laos and Cambodia, helping the Kingdom of Thailand correct past injustices at the hands of the French republic, the reunification and liberation of the Empire of Vietnam and the restoration of legitimate monarchs in Malaysia. Only in countries where there did not exist a recognized royal leader or monarchist movement, such as Burma, Indonesia and The Philippines, did Japan work with republican officials. Yet, even in those cases, and that of the Republic of China government under Wang Jingwei, Japan displayed more consideration that most republican major powers because Japan did not force monarchy on republican countries but certainly did work to restore fallen monarchs and support the revival of those that existed but which were under foreign rule or occupation. Even in a country such as the Kingdom of Laos where the King preferred French rule and did not want to cooperate with Japan in declaring the independence of his country, Japan did nothing to harm the King of Laos or deprive him of his legitimate position and just worked instead with Prince Phetserath who was devoted to independence (and who is still revered in Laos even today, despite the efforts of the communist government to stamp out devotion to him).

The Empire of Japan was fighting a righteous cause in supporting legitimate, traditional government wherever possible and the fact that this was to the benefit of everyone can be easily proven by simply at the disastrous results of the defeat of Japan in the subsequent years. Korea was deprived of the monarchy, divided between the U.S. and the Soviet Union (later replaced by Red China) and then suffered a bloody civil war that remains in stalemate to this day. In Manchuria the monarchy was destroyed, the communists took everything that Japan had established there and the Manchu people have been all but wiped out as a distinct culture. The same thing and worse happened to Tibet and would have happened to Mongolia as well but the Soviets did the same thing there (the only benefit being that the Soviet Union fell while Red China remains). Vietnam was also divided and suffered a very long and bloody civil war ending in a brutal communist dictatorship. Laos suffered a 3-way civil war and is today simply a communist puppet-state of Vietnam. Cambodia was able to restore its monarchy but had to endure the nightmarish rule of Pol Pot and even today is mostly ruled by a stooge of communist Vietnam. In Burma there was no royal heir for Japan to work with but since the war the situation in Burma has certainly not improved. The simple truth is that if the Empire of Japan had not been defeated and those legitimate, traditional monarchies which Japan encouraged had also been supported by the western Allies, East Asia would not be in the dangerous position it is today with a heavily armed and hostile Communist China posing a threat to neighbors on every side. Japan was truly the great champion of the monarchist cause in East Asia and should be again. If more people would learn the lessons of the past, they would appreciate the importance of this and support Japan as well.