Let us not use the term "corrupt" in a loose way. Political parties by
nature are corrupt if there are various limits to how they raise funding
for an election process that is geared toward maximizing one vote-one
person formula (of course I can't say that was Bush's strategy:). Further
asymmetrical bases of power can be and are generally abused by the
dominant groups (see politics in India).
However, Japanese politics must be contextualized in its highly illiberal forms of
social organization. Corruption when loosely used implicitly carries the
"liberal" value of politics without the money part. Each individual is
expected to exercise his/her vote with full information. Likewise
political parties are expected to play the "apolitical" role by not
capturing the state or receiving kickbacks. This is a highly idealized
form of politics. This does not mean that some sanitization of politics
in general should not be pursued but how to do it is another story.
Japanese politics is rooted in more feudal-like social relations (not
necessarily undesirable ones), especially those that adhere to more
reciprocal, mutual debt-based obligations. LDP gets its funding from the
construction industry (we of course don't have to go to Tokyo to
understand the nature of the construction industry--NYC will be a good
place to start) but it also gets its vote from a diminished yet
politically influential agricultural sector. Protecting Japanese agri may
also be seen as a form of corruption since everyone knows Japanese output
can't compete with most others. But we all know that the function of the
state is circumscribed by politics and power and in this case patronage
politics. Corruption is misnomer for something that is deeper than simply
paybacks.
As for whether corruption has had its predatory effects, it is amply clear
that Japan is not an economy we can club with Zaire. The economic effects
of, if you will, corruption is considerably greater than zero. The sheer
physical infrastructure will indicate that, not to mention the entire
manufacturing productive base.
Cheers, Anthony
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Anthony P. D'Costa
Associate Professor Ph: (253) 692-4462
Comparative International Development Fax: (253) 692-5718
University of Washington Box Number: 358436
1900 Commerce Street
Tacoma, WA 98402, USA
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On Mon, 18 Dec 2000, Michael Perelman wrote:
> Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2000 09:51:18 -0800
> From: Michael Perelman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: [PEN-L:6354] Re: Re: Japanese infrastructure question again
>
> Thanks, Bill. I realize that the LDP is corrupt and to a large extent rural
> based. Do you think that most of the investment is really wasted and
> unproductive?
>
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
> > michael,
> > the reason the japanese spend so much on infrastructural projects, mostly
> > wasted money, bridges to underpopulated islands and so on is that the
> > construction industry is a major contributor to the liberal democratic party
> > (which is not liberal or democratic or really a party but a coalition of the
> > corrupt in service to the rich and even more powerful.
> > wk tabb
>
> --
>
> Michael Perelman
> Economics Department
> California State University
> Chico, CA 95929
>
> Tel. 530-898-5321
> E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>
