Yoshifumi Tamada notes that Phibun's populist nationalism was more egalitarian than the nationalism of Vajiravudh. His invocation of democracy also indicated that the fusion of people and the nation-to-be, through the rhetorical device of democracy, was a significant element of the new Thai nationalism, even though Phibun was discredited for his wartime alliance with the Japanese and expelled from office in late 1944. After the war reconciliatory alliance emerged between the liberal faction People's and royalists. A constitution was issued providing a bicameral parliament, with the upper house appointed by the lower house. Provision for the organization of political parties was made. The military sat in the shadows. It seemed possible once more that a liberal constitutional regime might emerge. Civilian sections of the bureaucracy and the old liberal guard of the People's Party were favouring such a system, as were royalists who now saw in a constitutional system the only defence against dictatorship This potential basis for elite forms of democracy gave way, however, once more to military might in the late 1940s. Splits within the civilian regime, economic deterioration and resentment within the military of civilian interference in their affairs paved the way for another military takeover of power. In this context, the return of royal e after the war is significant. A number of these began to organize a royalist element in the parliament led by Khuang Apaiwong, along with support from Kukrit and Seni Pramoj.65 This faction allied with the military in seeing the pro-Pridi government over- thrown in 1947, subsequent to accusations that Pridi had been involved in the murder of the young King Mahidol in 1946. This royal resurgence provided some basis too for the project of recentring the monarchy in national ideology.