1. the Politics of Legacy

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

1. the Politics of Legacy UC San Diego UC San Diego Electronic Theses and Dissertations Title Succeeding in politics : dynasties in democracies Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1dv7f7bb Authors Smith, Daniel Markham Smith, Daniel Markham Publication Date 2012 Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO Succeeding in Politics: Dynasties in Democracies A Dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science by Daniel Markham Smith Committee in charge: Professor Kaare Strøm, Chair Professor Gary W. Cox Professor Gary C. Jacobson Professor Ellis S. Krauss Professor Krislert Samphantharak Professor Matthew S. Shugart 2012 ! Daniel Markham Smith, 2012 All rights reserved. The Dissertation of Daniel Markham Smith is approved, and it is acceptable in quality and form for publication on microfilm and electronically: Chair University of California, San Diego 2012 iii DEDICATION To my mother and father, from whom I have inherited so much. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Signature page……………………………………………………………………………iii Dedication………………………………………………………………………………...iv Table of Contents………………………………………………………………………….v List of Abbreviations………………………….………………………………………....vii List of Figures……………………………...……………………………………………viii List of Tables……………………………………………………………………………...x Acknowledgments……………………………………………………………………….xii Vita………………………………………………………………………………………xv Abstract………………………………………………………………………………….xvi 1. The Politics of Legacy ................................................................................................. 1 1.1. Why Dynasties?..................................................................................................... 5 1.2. The Impact of Legacy Politics on Democracy .................................................... 23 1.3. Organization of the Dissertation.......................................................................... 29 2. A Theory of Legacy Recruitment in Democracies .................................................... 32 2.1. The Causes of Legacy Politics ............................................................................ 32 2.2. Electoral System Context: Candidate-Centered Elections .................................. 42 2.3. Party Organization Context: Decentralized Candidate Selection........................ 48 2.4. Candidate-Level Context: The Inherited Incumbency Advantage...................... 52 3. Dynasties in Comparative Perspective ...................................................................... 57 3.1. Case Selection and Data...................................................................................... 61 3.2. Patterns in Legacy Politics in the Parties of Eight Democracies ........................ 65 3.3. Discussion ........................................................................................................... 80 4. Japan: Land of the Rising Sons?................................................................................ 83 4.1. Historical Development of Legacy Politics in Japan .......................................... 88 4.2. Elections and Candidate Recruitment from 1947-1993 ...................................... 92 4.3. Legacy Recruitment under the SNTV System .................................................. 106 4.4. Discussion: History or Culture as Alternative Explanations?........................... 122 v 5. Electoral and Party Reform in Japan ....................................................................... 125 5.1. The 1994 Electoral System Reform & Expectations......................................... 131 5.2. Party Responses to Reform ............................................................................... 137 5.3. The Impact of Electoral and Party Reform on Legacy Recruitment................. 148 5.4. Change in Supply or Change in Demand? ........................................................ 158 5.5. Discussion ......................................................................................................... 163 5.6. Acknowledgments............................................................................................. 165 6. The Inherited Incumbency Advantage..................................................................... 167 6.1. The Incumbency Advantage as a Heritable Asset?........................................... 170 6.2. The Inherited Incumbency Advantage in MMD Elections ............................... 176 6.3. The Inherited Incumbency Advantage in SMD Elections................................. 196 6.4. Discussion ......................................................................................................... 201 6.5. Acknowledgments............................................................................................. 202 7. Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 203 8. Appendix.................................................................................................................. 209 9. Bibliography ............................................................................................................ 211 vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS CLPR Closed-List Proportional Representation DM Diet Member DPJ Democratic Party of Japan DSP Democratic Socialist Party FPTP First-Past-The-Post JCP Japan Communist Party JSP Japan Socialist Party LDI Liberal Democrat-affiliated Independent LDP Liberal Democratic Party MMD Multi-Member District MMM Mixed Member Majoritarian MP Member of Parliament OLPR Open-List Proportional Representation PVEA Personal Vote-Earning Attribute PVEB Personal Vote-Earning Behavior SDPJ Social Democratic Party of Japan SMD Single-Member District SNTV Single Non-Transferable Vote STV Single Transferable Vote TD Teachta Dála, Deputy in the Irish Dáil vii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1: Percentage of Legacy MPs in the Canadian House of Commons.................. 10! Figure 1.2: Percentage of Legacy Members of the U.S. Congress................................... 12! Figure 1.3: Percentage of Legacy TDs in the Irish Dáil ................................................... 13! Figure 1.4: Percentage of Legacy DMs in the Japanese House of Representatives ......... 16! Figure 2.1: A Model of Candidate Recruitment ............................................................... 38! Figure 2.2: Hypothesized Effect of the Electoral and Recruitment Contexts on the Value of the Inherited Incumbency Advantage................................................................... 52! Figure 2.3: A Model of Legacy Recruitment.................................................................... 55! Figure 3.1: Percentage of Legacy MPs in Eight Democracies ......................................... 67! Figure 3.2: The Relationship Between Candidate-Centered Elections and the Percentage of Legacy MPs in the Parties of Eight Democracies ................................................ 73! Figure 3.3: The Relationship Between Party Centralization in Candidate Selection and the Percentage of Legacy MPs in the Parties of Eight Democracies.............................. 77! Figure 4.1: Legacy Candidates and DMs in the LDP and Among All Parties ................. 85! Figure 4.2: Percentage of Districts with Intraparty Competition...................................... 94! Figure 4.3: Percentage of Districts with Intra-Camp Competition................................... 97! Figure 4.4: Legacy and Hereditary Candidates in the Three Main Parties..................... 108! Figure 4.5: Legacy and Hereditary Candidates in the Three Main Party Camps ........... 109! Figure 4.6: Predicted Probability of New Dynasty Forming .......................................... 121! Figure 5.1: All Candidate Nominations Post-Reform..................................................... 149! Figure 5.2: New Candidate Nominations Post-Reform .................................................. 150! Figure 5.3: New Candidate Nominations in the LDP..................................................... 152! viii Figure 5.4: 2009 Pre-Election Candidate Survey Responses to the Question: Should Hereditary Succession be Restricted?..................................................................... 156! Figure 6.1: The Emergence of Two-Party Competition in Japan's SMDs: Top Two Parties' Vote and Seat Share, 1996-2009................................................................ 175! Figure 6.2: Probability of Electoral Victory for First-Time Non-Legacy and Hereditary Successors, by Jiban Strength................................................................................. 190! ix LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1: Electoral System, Degree of Centralization in Candidate Selection, and the Mean Percentage of Legacy MPs in the Parties of Seven Democracies................... 78! Table 3.2: The Effect of Institutions on the Percentage of Legacy MPs in a Party.......... 80! Table 4.1: LDP Ex-Post Nominations and Post-Election Strength in the House of Representatives, 1958-1993...................................................................................... 96! Table 4.2: Party Variation in Intraparty/Intra-Camp Competition and Selection Process ................................................................................................................................. 105! Table 4.3: First-Time Legacy and Hereditary Candidates in the House of Representatives, 1947-1993 ..............................................................................................................
Recommended publications
  • Tanaka Makiko: Scharfzüngige Populistin Oder Populäre Reformerin?
    DUISBURGER ARBEITSPAPIERE OSTASIENWISSENSCHAFTEN DUISBURG WORKING PAPERS ON EAST ASIAN STUDIES No. 67/2006 Tanaka Makiko: Scharfzüngige Populistin oder populäre Reformerin? Momoyo Hüstebeck Institut für Ostasienwissenschaften (Institute of East Asian Studies) Universität Duisburg-Essen/ Campus Duisburg D-47048 Duisburg, Germany Tel.: +49-203-379-4191 Fax: +49-203-379-4157 E-Mail: [email protected] © by the author August 2006 Titel/Title: Tanaka Makiko: Scharfzüngige Populistin oder populäre Reformerin? Autor/Author : Momoyo Hüstebeck Series/Reihe Duisburg Working Papers on East Asian Studies, No. 67/2006 Duisburger Arbeitspapiere Ostasienwissenschaften, Nr. 67/2006 Zusammenfassung/Abstract: Tanaka Makiko, Tochter des wegen seiner Plutokratie und jedoch auch seiner hohen Popularität legendären Premierministers Tanaka Kakuei (Amtszeit 1972-1974), gehört zu einer der populärsten Erbabgeordneten in Japan. Obwohl Japan als konsolidierte Demokratie erachtet wird, wird der Anteil der Abgeordneten der regierenden Liberal Demokratischen Partei (LDP), die ihren Sitz „vererbt“ bekommen haben, auf etwa vierzig Prozent geschätzt. Tanaka entwickelte jedoch anders als ein großer Teil dieser Politiker mit dynastischer Herkunft ein eigenes politisches Profil. Ihre scharfzüngige Kritik an den verkrusteten Strukturen der LDP erwies sich für ihre schnelle politische Karriere nicht als hinderlich. 2001 wurde sie aufgrund ihrer hohen Popularität und ihrem Image als Reformerin zur ersten Außenministerin Japans ernannt. Als Frau sollte sie frischen Wind sowohl in ihre konservative Partei als auch in das skandalgebeultete Außenministerium bringen. Ihre Amtszeit endete jedoch bereits nach nur zehn Monaten, während denen Bürokraten und ihre politischen Gegner alles daran setzten, sie zu demontieren. Tanaka Makiko, the daughter of the popular former prime minister Tanaka Kakuei - in office from 1972-1974 and who resigned amidst one of the worst corruption scandals in post-war Japan - is among the most popular second generation politicians in the country today.
    [Show full text]
  • Global Agenda Council Reports 2010 Gl Global Agenda Council O
    Global Agenda Council Reports 2010 Global Agenda Council 2010 Reports Global Agenda Council Reports 2010 .weforum.org) ofit; it is tied to no political, no to tied is it ofit; -pr national organization committed to improving the improving committed to organization national The World Economic Forum is an independent an is Forum Economic World The inter partnerships in leaders engaging by world the of state and industry agendas. to shape global, regional in based and 1971, in a foundation as Incorporated is Forum Economic World the Switzerland, Geneva, not-for and impartial partisan or national interests. (www partisan or national interests. Global_Agenda_SRO_Layout 1 13.01.10 10:29 Page3 Global Agenda Council Reports 2010 Summaries of Global Agenda Council Discussions from the Summit on the Global Agenda 2009 Global_Agenda_SRO_Layout 1 13.01.10 10:29 Page4 This publication is also available in electronic form on the World Economic Forum’s website at the following address: The Global Agenda 2010 Web version: www.weforum.org/globalagenda2010 (HTML) The book is also available as a PDF: www.weforum.org/pdf/globalagenda2010.pdf Other specific information on the Network of Global Agenda Councils can be found at the following links: www.weforum.org/globalagenda2010 www.weforum.org/globalagenda2009/interviews www.weforum.org/globalagenda2009/reports www.weforum.org/globalagenda2009/webcasts The opinions expressed and data communicated in this publication are those of Global Agenda Council Members and do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Economic Forum. World Economic Forum 91-93 route de la Capite CH-1223 Cologny/Geneva Switzerland Tel.: +41 (0)22 869 1212 Fax: +41 (0)22 786 2744 E-mail: [email protected] www.weforum.org © 2010 World Economic Forum All rights reserved.
    [Show full text]
  • Record of the Istanbul Process 16/18 for Combating Intolerance And
    2019 JAPAN SUMMARY REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS EVENT SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................... 3 PLENARY SESSIONS ................................................................................................................................. 7 LAUNCHING THE 2019 G20 INTERFAITH FORUM.......................................................................... 7 FORMAL FORUM INAUGURATION – WORKING FOR PEACE, PEOPLE, AND PLANET: CHALLENGES TO THE G20 ............................................................................................................... 14 WHY WE CAN HOPE: PEACE, PEOPLE, AND PLANET ................................................................. 14 ACTION AGENDAS: TESTING IDEAS WITH EXPERIENCE FROM FIELD REALITIES ........... 15 IDEAS TO ACTION .............................................................................................................................. 26 TOWARDS 2020 .................................................................................................................................... 35 CLOSING PLENARY ............................................................................................................................ 42 PEACE WORKING SESSIONS ................................................................................................................ 53 FROM VILE TO VIOLENCE: FREEDOM OF RELIGION & BELIEF & PEACEBUILDING ......... 53 THE DIPLOMACY OF RELIGIOUS PEACEBUILDING ..................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Sunday Independent
    gjj Dan O'Brien The Irish are becoming EXCLUSIVE ‘I was hoping he’d die,’ Jill / ungovernable. This Section, Page 18Meagher’s husband on her murderer. Page 20 9 6 2 ,0 0 0 READERS Vol. 109 No. 17 CITY FINAL April 27,2014 €2.90 (£1.50 in Northern Ireland) lMELDA¥ 1 1 P 1 g§%g k ■MAY ■ H l f PRINCE PHILIP WAS CHECKING OUT MY ASS LIFE MAGAZINE ALL IS CHANGING, CHANGING UTTERLY. GRAINNE'SJOY ■ Voters w a n t a n ew political p arty Poll: FG gets MICHAEL McDOWELL, Page 24 ■ Public demands more powers for PAC SHANE ROSS, Page 24 it in the neck; ■ Ireland wants Universal Health Insurance -but doesn'tbelieve the Governmentcan deliver BRENDAN O'CONNOR, Page 25 ■ We are deeply suspicious SF rampant; of thecharity sector MAEVE SHEEHAN, Page 25 ■ Royal family are welcome to 1916 celebrations EILISH O'HANLON, Page 25 new partycall LOVE IS IN THE AIR: TV presenter Grainne Seoige and former ■ ie s s a Childers is rugbycoach turned businessman Leon Jordaan celebrating iittn of the capital their engagement yesterday. Grainne's dress is from Havana EOGHAN HARRIS, Page 19 in Donnybrookr Dublin 4. Photo: Gerry Mooney. Hayesfaces defeat in Dublin; Nessa to top Full Story, Page 5 & Living, Page 2 poll; SF set to take seat in each constituency da n ie l Mc Connell former minister Eamon Ryan and JOHN DRENNAN (11 per cent). MillwardBrown Our poll also asked for peo­ FINE Gael Junior Minister ple’s second preference in Brian Hayes is facing a humil­ FULL POLL DETAILS AND ANALYSIS: ‘ terms of candidate.
    [Show full text]
  • Nationalism in Japan's Contemporary Foreign Policy
    The London School of Economics and Political Science Nationalism in Japan’s Contemporary Foreign Policy: A Consideration of the Cases of China, North Korea, and India Maiko Kuroki A thesis submitted to the Department of International Relations of the London School of Economics for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, London, February 2013 Declaration I certify that the thesis I have presented for examination for the MPhil/PhD degree of the London School of Economics and Political Science is solely my own work other than where I have clearly indicated that it is the work of others (in which case the extent of any work carried out jointly by me and any other person is clearly identified in it). The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. Quotation from it is permitted, provided that full acknowledgement is made. This thesis may not be reproduced without my prior written consent. I warrant that this authorisation does not, to the best of my belief, infringe the rights of any third party. I declare that my thesis consists of <88,7630> words. Statement of use of third party for editorial help I can confirm that my thesis was copy edited for conventions of language, spelling and grammar by Josh Collins and Greg Demmons. 2 of 3 Abstract Under the Koizumi and Abe administrations, the deterioration of the Japan-China relationship and growing tension between Japan and North Korea were often interpreted as being caused by the rise of nationalism. This thesis aims to explore this question by looking at Japan’s foreign policy in the region and uncovering how political actors manipulated the concept of nationalism in foreign policy discourse.
    [Show full text]
  • Growing Democracy in Japan: the Parliamentary Cabinet System Since 1868
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by University of Kentucky University of Kentucky UKnowledge Asian Studies Race, Ethnicity, and Post-Colonial Studies 5-15-2014 Growing Democracy in Japan: The Parliamentary Cabinet System since 1868 Brian Woodall Georgia Institute of Technology Click here to let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Thanks to the University of Kentucky Libraries and the University Press of Kentucky, this book is freely available to current faculty, students, and staff at the University of Kentucky. Find other University of Kentucky Books at uknowledge.uky.edu/upk. For more information, please contact UKnowledge at [email protected]. Recommended Citation Woodall, Brian, "Growing Democracy in Japan: The Parliamentary Cabinet System since 1868" (2014). Asian Studies. 4. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/upk_asian_studies/4 Growing Democracy in Japan Growing Democracy in Japan The Parliamentary Cabinet System since 1868 Brian Woodall Due to variations in the technical specifications of different electronic reading devices, some elements of this ebook may not appear as they do in the print edition. Readers are encouraged to experiment with user settings for optimum results. Copyright © 2014 by The University Press of Kentucky Scholarly publisher for the Commonwealth, serving Bellarmine University, Berea College, Centre College of Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University, The Filson Historical Society, Georgetown College, Kentucky Historical Society, Kentucky State University, Morehead State University, Murray State University, Northern Kentucky University, Transylvania University, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, and Western Kentucky University. All rights reserved. Editorial and Sales Offices: The University Press of Kentucky 663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40508-4008 www.kentuckypress.com Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Woodall, Brian.
    [Show full text]
  • List of Participants As of 17 January 2014
    Japan Meeting List of Participants As of 17 January 2014 Tokyo, Japan, 11 June 2013 Shinzo Abe Prime Minister of Japan Evgeny V. Afanasiev Ambassador of the Russian Federation Embassy of the Russian Japan to Japan Federation in Japan Nicolas Aguzin Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, JPMorgan Chase Bank NA Hong Kong SAR Asia-Pacific Hirotsugu Aida Columnist Kyodo News Japan Koichi Akaishi Japan Economic Revitalization Bureau Cabinet Office of Japan Japan Manager, Assistant Director Akira Amari Minister for Economic Revitalization and Minister for Economic and Fiscal Policy of Japan Jun Arai Representative Director and Chief Showa Shell Sekiyu KK Japan Operating Officer Hiroto Arakawa Vice-President, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan Hiroto Arakawa Vice-President, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan Keiichiro Asao Member of the House of Representatives, Japan William Barriga Chief of Mission International Organization for Japan Migration (IOM) Neelanjan Head, Japan Business HCL Technologies Ltd Japan Bhattacharjee Børge Brende Managing Director and Member of the World Economic Forum Switzerland Managing Board Børge Brende Managing Director and Member of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway Managing Board Norway Urs Bucher Ambassador of Switzerland Embassy of Switzerland Japan Johan Cels Representative United Nations High Japan Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Adrian David Cheok Professor and Inventor, Graduate Keio University Japan School of Media Design Mitsuru Claire Chino Executive Officer, General Manager of Itochu Corporation Japan Lega l Division I-han Chou Senior Editor, Nature Nature Publishing Group Japan Sayuri Daimon Managing Editor The Japan Times Ltd Japan Katsuya Debari President and Chief Executive Officer Odyssey Communications Inc.
    [Show full text]
  • The Death Penalty in Japan: the Law of Silence Going Against the International Trend
    The Death Penalty in Japan: The Law of Silence Going against the International Trend International fact-finding mission Article 1 : All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. Article 2 : Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty. n°505a October 2008 Tokyo Detention Centre FIDH - The Death Penalty in Japan: The Law of Silence / 2 Contents Introduction 4 I. The Japanese Context 6 Context and history of the application of the death penalty in Japan Actors Authorities Officials at Ministry of Justice Detention Centre Personnel Political Parties Civil society Lawyers victims’ families and detainees’ families NGOs and the movements in favour of abolition Religious representatives The influence of media II. Current debates 18 Secrecy Separation of powers Life imprisonment without parole and a toughening of penalties Fallacious arguments Justification by public opinion The confusion between the rights of victims and the death penalty The cultural argument III. Legal Framework 25 Domestic law and norms International law United Nations Japan ratified the United Nations Convention Against Torture in 1999 The Council of Europe The European Union The International criminal court (ICC) IV.
    [Show full text]
  • Japan 2019 Human Rights Report
    JAPAN 2019 HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Japan has a parliamentary government with a constitutional monarchy. Shinzo Abe, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, became prime minister in 2012. Upper house elections in July, which Prime Minister Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Komeito Party, won with a solid majority, were considered free and fair. The National Public Safety Commission, a cabinet-level entity, oversees the National Police Agency (NPA), and prefectural public safety commissions have responsibility for local police forces. Civilian authorities maintained effective control over the security forces. There were concerns that some laws and practices, if misused, could infringe on freedom of the press. The government enforced laws prohibiting human rights abuses and prosecuted officials who committed them. Section 1. Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom from: a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings There were no reports that the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings. b. Disappearance There were no reports of disappearances by or on behalf of government authorities. c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment The law prohibits such practices, and there were no reports that government officials employed them. SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED JAPAN 2 The government continued to deny death row inmates advance information about the date of execution and notified family members of executions after the fact. The government held that this policy spared prisoners the anguish of knowing when they were going to die. Authorities also regularly hold prisoners condemned to death in solitary confinement until their execution but allowed visits by family, lawyers, and others.
    [Show full text]
  • The Abduction of Japanese People by North Korea And
    CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by Ritsumeikan Research Repository THE ABDUCTION OF JAPANESE PEOPLE BY NORTH KOREA AND THE DYNAMICS OF JAPANESE DOMESTIC POLITICS AND FOREIGN POLICY: CASE STUDIES OF SHIN KANEMARU AND JUNICHIRO KOIZUMI’S PYONGYANG SUMMIT MEETINGS IN 1990, 2002 AND 2004’S PYONGYANG SUMMIT MEETINGS by PARK Seohee 51114605 March 2017 Master’s Thesis / Independent Final Report Presented to Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Asia Pacific Studies ACKNOLEGEMENTS First and foremost, I praise and thank my Lord, who gives me the opportunity and talent to accomplish this research. You gave me the power to trust in my passion and pursue my dreams. I could never have done this without the faith I have in You, the Almighty. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Professor Yoichiro Sato for your excellent support and guidance. You gave me the will to carry on and never give up in any hardship. Under your great supervision, this work came into existence. Again, I am so grateful for your trust, informative advice, and encouragement. I am deeply thankful and honored to my loving family. My two Mr. Parks and Mrs. Keum for your support, love and trust. Every moment of every day, I thank our Lord Almighty for giving me such a wonderful family. I would like to express my gratitude to Rotary Yoneyama Memorial Foundation, particularly to Mrs. Toshiko Takahashi (and her family), Kunisaki Club, Mr. Minoru Akiyoshi and Mr.
    [Show full text]
  • Newsletter 4
    September 14, 2009 CANADA-ASIA AGENDA www.asiapacific.ca Series Editor Brian Job Issue 2 Japan’s “electoral revolution” – changes at home and abroad By Tsuyoshi Kawasaki The Japanese general election was revolutionary: it brought to power for the first time since the end of World War II a majority government not led by the Liberal Democratic Party and it saw the final transition to a two-party system brought about by the introduction of single- member electorates 15 years ago. Like any revolution, it will be some time before it is clear if the pressures of real power will allow the new government to bring about promised change. The general election of August 30, 2009 in Japan was was not in power, Japan was governed by coalition extraordinary. The Democratic Party (DP) won 308 seats governments as none of the non-LDP parties had a out of 480 in the House of Representatives, ousting the majority.) In other words, it was the first “decisive and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from power. Since its true change of power” in post-World War II Japan. Of inception in 1955, the LDP had always governed Japan, course, this type of situation -- that is, a majority of seats either alone or in a coalition, except for ten months in secured by a former opposition party after an election -- is 1993-1994. This time, it lost almost two thirds of its nothing new to Canadian politics. But for the Japanese, previous seats, down to a mere 119 from 300, which this election has ushered in a new era of politics, as it was nothing short of disaster.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Review 2008-2009
    final cover to print:Layout 1 12/05/2010 15:26 Page 1 ANNUAL REVIEW 08–09 •• ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY ROYAL U VIE N AL E W N R A Y M E 08D A N C N A A E R I H É S H ACADAMH RÍOGA NA I A IR N A L G YA ÍO RO R MH DA 09ACA H RIA ÉIREANN RIA RIA final cover to print:Layout 1 12/05/2010 15:23 Page 2 RIA © 2009 ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY 19 Dawson Street Key Achievements 2008–09........................................................................................2 Dublin 2 President’s Report.......................................................................................4 T: +353 1 676 2570 F: +353 1 676 2346 The quest for safe, secure and sustainable energy—whither Ireland?............................7 www.ria.ie Evaluating humanities research.........................................................10 Senior Vice-President’s Report....................................................12 New Members—Sciences..................................................14 New Members—Humanities and Social Sciences.....................16 New Members—Honorary........................................19 Tribute to Howard Clarke......................................21 Appreciation for Aidan Duggan..............................22 Distinctions conferred on Members.......................23 Bereavements............................................24 Academy Committees and International Relations Report.....................................25 s Policy Report.......................................29 t A Year in View.....................................31 Research Projects n
    [Show full text]