Conservative Union - Hoshugoudou

In 1955 (Showa 30), the Liberal Democratic Party and the Democratic Party merged to form the Liberal Democratic Party, Japan's first single conservative political party, marking a major turning point in postwar history. After the purge was lifted, conflict between the Democratic Party's Hatoyama faction and the Liberal Party's Yoshida faction became apparent, and in the general election of February 1955, the Democratic Party replaced the Liberal Party as the largest party, and the Left Socialist Party and Right Socialist Party also increased their seats. In April, Democratic Party Executive Committee Chairman Miki Takeyoshi spoke about a joint statement on the condition that the Hatoyama Ichiro cabinet resign en masse. This prompted a meeting between Miki and the Liberal Party Executive Committee Chairman of the anti-Yoshida faction, Ohno Banboku. Miki took a step toward a merger, persuading the opposition of the Yoshida faction of the Liberal Party, including Sato Eisaku and Ikeda Hayato, and the former Progressive Party faction of the Democratic Party, including Oasa Tadao and Miki Takeo. However, there was a dispute over the appointment of the new party's president, and in the end, the Democratic and Liberal parties merged to form the Liberal Democratic Party on November 15, with the adoption of an acting committee system for the time being.

The main factor that led to the conservative merger was the fact that the Socialist Party had unified in October of that year, which raised the possibility of the party taking power, and in response to this situation, the business world put pressure on the Conservative Party to unify the channels for political donations and to bring the conservatives together to settle the political situation and establish a stable government. The business world particularly called for a stable conservative government because it was under pressure to shift to a policy of independence in the face of the end of the special Korean demand, which had been the pillar of Japan's economic recovery.

The Liberal Democratic Party secured an absolute majority in the Diet and ushered in an era of long-term dictatorial rule, but on the other hand, the conservative merger brought about deepening collusion between politicians, bureaucrats, and business leaders, the rise of factional politics, and the creation of a political structure pitting conservatives against progressives.

[Ara Takashi]

"Conservative Politics in Postwar Japan" by Kenzo Uchida (Iwanami Shinsho)" ▽ "Conservative System, Vol. 1" edited by Rei Shiratori (1977, Toyo Keizai Shinposha)" ▽ "The Trajectory of Postwar Conservative Politics" by Motoo Goto et al. (1982, Iwanami Shoten)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

1955年（昭和30）自由党と民主党の合同によって日本最初の単一保守政党としての自由民主党が結成され、戦後史の重要な画期をつくった政治的できごと。追放解除後、民主党鳩山(はとやま)派と自由党吉田派の対立が顕在化し、55年2月の総選挙では自由党にかわって民主党が第一党となり、左派社会党・右派社会党も議席を伸ばした。4月民主党総務会長三木武吉(ぶきち)の鳩山一郎内閣総辞職を条件とした合同の談話を契機に、自由党総務会長で反吉田派の大野伴睦(ばんぼく)と三木との会合がもたれ、佐藤栄作・池田勇人(はやと)ら自由党吉田派と大麻唯男、三木武夫(たけお)ら民主党の旧改進党系の合同反対論を説き伏せて合同に一歩を踏み出したが、新党の総裁人事をめぐって一悶着(もんちゃく)し、結局、当分の間、代行委員制を採用することで11月15日、民主・自由両党は合同して自由民主党を結成した。

　保守合同が実現した大きな要因は、社会党が同年10月に統一し同党の政権獲得の可能性も出てきたこと、この状況に対して財界が保守党への政治献金のルートを一本化し、かつ保守結集によって政局を収拾し、安定政権を樹立するよう圧力をかけたことにあった。とくに財界が保守安定政権を強く要望したのは、日本経済復興の支柱となってきた朝鮮特需の打ち切りに対し自立政策へと転換する必要に迫られたからであった。

　自由民主党は国会で絶対多数を確保し、長期独裁政権の時代に入っていくが、保守合同は反面、政・官・財癒着の深化と派閥政治の隆盛をもたらし、また保革対決の政治構造を形成した。

［荒　敬］

『内田健三著『戦後日本の保守政治』（岩波新書）』▽『白鳥令編『保守体制　上』（1977・東洋経済新報社）』▽『後藤基夫他著『戦後保守政治の軌跡』（1982・岩波書店）』

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