Proletarian parties in Japan, 1925–1932

The proletarian parties were a group of political parties in Japan. Several proletarian parties were launched after enactment of the Universal Manhood Suffrage Act in 1925. The Farmer-Labour Party had been founded in December 1925, but banned after only two hours of existence. Three major proletarian parties emerged during 1926, all closely linked to trade union movements and the divisions between the trade unions were largely replicated in divisions between the political parties. The pro-communist trade union centre Hyōgikai backed the Labour-Farmer Party. The centrist Japan Labour Union League backed the Japan Labour-Farmer Party. The moderate Sodomei trade union centre backed the Social Democratic Party. All these three parties were constructed on the notion of a worker–peasant class alliance. Another proletarian party in the fray, the Japan Farmers Party differentiated themselves from this pattern by declaring themselves as a party 'by farmers, for farmers'. There were also some local proletarian parties.

In 1927 all three major proletarian political founded separate women's organizations. The Kanto Women's League, linked to the Labour-Farmer Party, was however disbanded after a few months on orders from the party leadership.

The proletarian parties took part in the 1927 prefectural assembly elections, and their participation was closely watched. Together they had launched 216 candidates, out of whom 28 were elected (representing 1.9% of the elected assembly members). The Labour-Farmer Party garned most of its vote from rural areas, whilst the Social Democratic Party and the regional proletarian parties got most of their votes from urban areas. The Labour-Farmer Party won 13 seats, the Japan Farmers Party four seats, the Social Democratic Party three seats, the Japan Labour-Farmers Party three seats and different local proletarian parties five seats.

In the 1928 national Diet election, roughly half of the urban votes for proletarian parties went to the Social Democratic Party whilst roughly half of the rural votes for the proletarian parties went to the Labour-Farmer Party. The proletarian parties managed to win eight seats in the Diet. Overall, the election result was disappointing for the proletarian parties. Many of their prominent leaders failed to get elected.

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