In 1869, samurai rebels established Japan's first and only attempt at a democracy
Following the collapse of the Tokugawa Shogunate, a group of samurai fled to Hokkaido to establish the Republic of Ezo, marking Japan's first and only attempt at a democratic government.
In late 1868 and early 1869, samurai loyalists who refused to submit to the new Imperial government fled to the northern island of Hokkaido. Led by Admiral Enomoto Takeaki, they established the Republic of Ezo, which featured Japan's first ever election. While the voting was limited to the samurai class, it was a radical departure from centuries of absolute rule.
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