Comment on Very Well, Alone! by yereverluvinuncleber
There are similar controversies in Japan. The current topguy in Osaka, Hashimoto, wants to separate Osaka into it's own nation-state because he argues that they receive unfair treatment from Tokyo. The central national government is increasingly distrusted by everyone.
Good news - at least from my perspective.
I can understand why the Japanese central gov.t is distrusted, the handling of the Fukushima disaster and the previous gov.ts prior decisions to build nuclear power stations in a country that is notorious for its geological instability would make me distrust generations of governments that made this decision.
In the beginning when nuclear power is proposed they initially stated that serious accidents would only occur once every few hundred years. In reality, so far, it is one every 20 years or so. The effects of an nuclear accident are so serious, at one point the Japanese PM thought that he might be ordering the evacuation of the whole of Japan. I would have little faith in a gov.t that had allowed this situation to arise.
In the beginning when nuclear power is proposed they initially stated that serious accidents would only occur once every few hundred years. In reality, so far, it is one every 20 years or so. The effects of an nuclear accident are so serious, at one point the Japanese PM thought that he might be ordering the evacuation of the whole of Japan. I would have little faith in a gov.t that had allowed this situation to arise.
Actually, the current ruling political party (LDP) is the same political party (LDP) whose leaders approved those nuclear power plants in the first place. They've ruled the nation of Japan for most of the past five decades, with only two (very brief) interludes when they didn't control it all. The immediately previous political administration (DPJ) tried to shut down the power stations permanently; then they got pushed out of power by scandals of rather tenuous, oddly convenient timing. The DPJ's leader, Ozawa, was kept out of the political theatre for nearly two years by accusations and investigation of corruption - all of which in court cases were later proven unfounded and spurious. The DPJ went through multiple prime ministers and cabinet ministers, with none lasting more than a few months, each time due to scandals that might not have been based on real evidence. The common public had originally elected the DPJ into power in a landslide result, then despaired over the DPJ's inability to take on the bureaucrats, big corporations, and the USA's bullying antics. So, now we have the LDP back again, with another figurehead "Abe", who does nothing but repeat the same old lies and toady up to the same old lobby groups. He's doing an astounding job of destroying the country's economy regardless of the funny rubbery statistics that they keep producing trying to claim otherwise; Japanese GDP and consumer confidence has plummeted even more so.
Japanese elections are easily rigged, of course. The public apathy about voting - especially the apathy of young people - allows elections to be biased by the simple trick of a minority number being able to swing the votes. Less than 40% of those who are eligible to vote will do so, and so religious groups such as Soka Gakkai which have a political party (New Komeito) use a long term deal with the LDP to bloc-vote and put the LDP into power repeatedly. Not enough young people vote, yet they'll complain about the governments they get. Apathy kills democracy, so the LDP and general political establishment encourage such apathy.
Japanese elections are easily rigged, of course. The public apathy about voting - especially the apathy of young people - allows elections to be biased by the simple trick of a minority number being able to swing the votes. Less than 40% of those who are eligible to vote will do so, and so religious groups such as Soka Gakkai which have a political party (New Komeito) use a long term deal with the LDP to bloc-vote and put the LDP into power repeatedly. Not enough young people vote, yet they'll complain about the governments they get. Apathy kills democracy, so the LDP and general political establishment encourage such apathy.
We do hear about Japan's economic woes, sounds like things have gone wrong somewhere (I'm not knowledgable enough to form an opinion). Democracy practised for a long time by a stable nation does seem to lose its urgency and vibrancy.
Windston Churchill said "Many forms of Government have been tried and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time."
Windston Churchill said "Many forms of Government have been tried and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time."
Belgium wants to split North/South. France and Spain have regions that also want to separate. Quebec will eventually once again look at the possibility of seceding from Canada. If Scotland says 'yes' then a precedent will have been set that will ultimately end up in many areas in Europe seceding. It will be just the start. Some countries will only allow a region to split when the whole country votes in favour. The Scottish referendum would never have occurred in France/Spain as their governments would have fought tooth and nail to prevent secession. Britain is unusual in allowing parts of the Union to have a choice. Democracy is a useful pressure relief valve but the desires of a minority (only 8% of the UK are Scots) can sometimes have a serious impact on the majority (92%) who are not entitled to vote... I am a bit pissed off that I am of Scottish descent, have a house in Scotland, I live and was born in the UK but cannot vote on a subject so close to my heart. A vote that will affect my own nationality - and cannot vote just because I am currently living in England.