And the Democratic Party of Japan has won: what's next?
Here's the story on The Economist.
Sorry, but I'm not as optimistic as the author of that article. I don't think we're gonna have big changes in Japan, just like there were no big changes in America since Barack Obama came to office. I'm not saying Obama's not doing a good job, because I wouldn't know. One thing that shouldn't be left out of sight when talking about Obama, however, is that he's popular because he is black, not for political merits. The same goes for the Luis Inácio Lula da Silva, the Brazilian president, for that matter. Most of what is said or commented about these two media characters is closely related to their peculiarities: Obama is black, Lula didn't graduated from college and used to be a blue-collar worker.
Discussing about Lula's bad metaphors or Obama's "blackness percentage" is missing the point: these guys are politicians, who've reached the top by compromising. And even though I've no idea about Obama's administrative prowess (neither I live in the US nor I read much about it), Lula has been doing a pretty good job, as far as I can tell.
Back to Japan, what does this landslide victory means?
I mean, we're not five anymore. Believing in radical change in a country as traditionally conservative as Japan is equivalent to writing Christmas letters and hoping Santa won't punish me for eating chocolate before supper. That said, I do think the country could use a little change, and I think that's precisely what it's gonna get: a little change. Small changes, as it seems, such as increased trade with China (and that will most likely fend off the current economic crisis). I, for one, sure hope that the new government isn't hellbent on blaming foreigners for every bad number on their charts.
That's what I'm hoping to see. That would be nice. Yes.
Sorry, but I'm not as optimistic as the author of that article. I don't think we're gonna have big changes in Japan, just like there were no big changes in America since Barack Obama came to office. I'm not saying Obama's not doing a good job, because I wouldn't know. One thing that shouldn't be left out of sight when talking about Obama, however, is that he's popular because he is black, not for political merits. The same goes for the Luis Inácio Lula da Silva, the Brazilian president, for that matter. Most of what is said or commented about these two media characters is closely related to their peculiarities: Obama is black, Lula didn't graduated from college and used to be a blue-collar worker.
Discussing about Lula's bad metaphors or Obama's "blackness percentage" is missing the point: these guys are politicians, who've reached the top by compromising. And even though I've no idea about Obama's administrative prowess (neither I live in the US nor I read much about it), Lula has been doing a pretty good job, as far as I can tell.
Back to Japan, what does this landslide victory means?
I mean, we're not five anymore. Believing in radical change in a country as traditionally conservative as Japan is equivalent to writing Christmas letters and hoping Santa won't punish me for eating chocolate before supper. That said, I do think the country could use a little change, and I think that's precisely what it's gonna get: a little change. Small changes, as it seems, such as increased trade with China (and that will most likely fend off the current economic crisis). I, for one, sure hope that the new government isn't hellbent on blaming foreigners for every bad number on their charts.
That's what I'm hoping to see. That would be nice. Yes.
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