AH Challenge: Communist Japan

With a POD no earlier than Janurary 1st, 1900, what's the best way to get a communist government in Japan WITHOUT it being imposed by foreign invasion (the Soviets/Chinese/whoever)?
 

bard32

Banned
Maybe have the Emperor name a communist prime minister? That's what happened in Italy. Victor Emmanuel II named Mussolini as prime minister after
he "led" the March on Rome.
 
Maybe have the Emperor name a communist prime minister? That's what happened in Italy. Victor Emmanuel II named Mussolini as prime minister after he "led" the March on Rome.


Mussolini may have been a communist earlier in life, but he wasn't in 1922. The March on Rome was not communist. It was fascist, and they had spent the years since the war attacking (and being attacked by) thw Italian communists.

Also, communism is generally against things such as Emperors. Simple self preservation means that a monarch is unlikely to name a communist as head of government.
 
RE:

So no one's got any ideas? Even though this violates the spirit of the form, we can push the POD back to 1854 if it makes things easier.
 

NapoleonXIV

Banned
During the Taisho in the 1920's Japan is the testing ground for a form of "nice" Trotskyism from Russia, which combines strident rhetoric with "good works" supporting hospitals, soup kitchens for the poor etc.

As long as Japan is prosperous they make little headway, but when the Depression begins in the 1930's they are the only viable alterantive to warlike conservatives

The second POD is that the wars go very badly for Japan. When the conservatives attempt to raise taxes on an already beleaugered people while simulataneously raiding the soup kitchens and shelters which are helping thounsands the people rise in revolt, overthrow them, and install a communist PM
 
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