On the Reality of Japanese Democracy from the Perspective of Hereditary Politics
Abstract
Post-war politics in Japan since the 1960s began to highlight the "hereditary" phenomenon, after the Cold War was getting worse. "Economic power" Japan in the pursuit of "political power" in the process, actually became a "hereditary power." While the reasons for the traditional culture, social and psychological impact, but it must be said that contemporary electoral system, political parties, political and economic interests is crucial to their cause. Some of the seemingly positive factors "hereditary politics", but in fact contrary to the concept of equality, which distorts the democratic spirit, talent selection and impede the channel, induced cause of political corruption, is not conducive to effective decision-making, potentially eroding the foundation of democracy in Japan. Of regime competition to become the focus of the "hereditary problem", the alarm is still at the level of knock from legislative restrictions, there is still a long way to go, can not fundamentally eliminate the short term. Today only the introduction of the selection mechanism through internal and external sound competition between political parties, and gradually enrich the competency-based, policy-based-based electoral system and party system. The hereditary phenomenon in Japanese political circles coming out from the 1960s has become more and more serious after the Cold War. In the process of pursuing political power and economic power, Japan has actually turned into a hereditary nation. There are many reasons for this phenomenon , such as the modem electoral system, party politics and its economic interests as the decisive causes besides the influence of traditional culture and social and psychological reasons. The hereditary politics has some positive impact. However, it goes against the spirit of equality, distorts the idea of democracy, blocks the talent-selection channel, incurs political corruption, stands against the effective decision-making, and erodes virtually the democracy base in Japan. The hereditary politics which is frequently brought to public attention in the transition of power is still at the stage of sounding the alarm and there is still a long way to go before legal restriction. It can not been fundamentally eliminated in a short time. What can be done at present is to establish gradually a competency-based electoral system and a policy- based party system by improving competition between political parties