<論説>民主党成立の序幕 : 進歩党少壮派の党内「革新」運動

Abstract

小論はこれまで個別研究の対象とされてこなかった民主党について、その成立の序幕の検討を試みたものである。分析対象の中心となるのは犬養健を要とする進歩党小壮派の動向である。彼らは公職追放と総選挙という占領改革の実施を機に戦後政界に登場し、第二二回総選挙後の激動の政変の過程で政治グループを形成する。そして第九〇議会下において、保守反動政党進歩党をして修正資本主義を標榜する民主的保守党(保守中道政党) へと脱皮させるべく党内「革新」運動を展開する。とりわけ憲法改正審議においては主として社会党に働きかけて象徴天皇制の条項についての挙国的合意形成に努めるとともに生存権的基本権の法制化の充実に意を注ぎ、進歩党の党勢拡大工作では社会党(右派) との連立政権構想を模索しつつ保守中道勢力の結集を促し「日本民主党」への党名変更を高唱する。こうした運動を通して彼らは進歩党から民主党への移行を徐々に準備していく。

This paper attempts to shed light on the initial stage of the formation of the Democratic Party which was founded in 1947. The main object of analysis is the movement of the up-and-coming young members of the House of Representatives who belonged to the Japan Progressive Party (日本進歩党) , the leading figure of which was Takeru Inukai 犬養健. With the enforcement of the occupation reforms, such as the Purge Directive and the call for the general election in 1946, as a turning point, they appeared on the central political scene. They organized a political group within the Progressive Party in the course of the political crisis during the massive demonstrations that took place from the 1946 general election until the formation of the first Shigeru Yoshida 吉田茂 cabinet. During the 90th session of the Diet they pushed the party "reform" movement forward in order to transform the Progressive Party, a reactionary conservative party into a democratic conservative one. It was a conservative middle-of-the-road party which advocated modified capitalism. Above all in the debate on the amendment to Final Draft of Japanese Constitution (帝国憲法改正案) they exerted themselves to acquire the whole nation consensus on the provisions stipulating the Emperor as the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people and at the same time they paid heed to the improvement of the provisions on the fundamental right to live, chiefly appealing to the Social Democratic Party of Japan (日本社会党). And in the maneuver of the Progressive Party to expand its strength they sought to rally conservative middle-of-the-road forces, groping for a coalition cabinet with the right wing of the Social Democrats and, on that occasion, strongly urged changing the party name to "the Japan Democratic Party" (「日本民主党」). Through these activities they were gradually paving the way for the formation of the Democratic Party.