The recent Turkish election, which saw the conservative AKP gaining control of the Turkish legislature with a strong majority, taught the world the importance of a healthy economy. The recent Japanese upper house election unmistakably rings the same bell:
The vote was a rejection of Mr Abe’s priorities, which emphasise ideological issues of nationhood, such as instilling patriotic education, rewriting the pacifist constitution and expanding the role of the Japanese armed forces. Many Japanese are not opposed to such measures, but they rate them far below pocketbook concerns: a shortage of decent jobs for the young; stagnant wages; rising health-care costs; uncertain pensions; and swathes of the depopulated countryside missing out on the economic recovery that has taken hold in Tokyo and other big cities. Mr Abe’s blunder, contend Richard Katz and Peter Ennis from the Oriental Economist, a newsletter, was to think that the recovery would take care of these concerns by itself. [Keeping his head just above water. The Economist. August 2 2007]
What lesson do you think the upcoming Malaysian election will teach us?
Parties like DAP and PKR better memorize this lesson to heart before it is too late.
3 replies on “[1322] Of lesson from Japan”
Of course but people are forgetful.
And yes, the economy is not the only factor and I do not claim otherwise. But it is an important one and that is what I am saying.
I thought Bill Clinton has already identified this in the early 90’s with his “It’s the economy, stupid” catchphrase.
Anyway, although this is generally true, there are still exceptions to the rule you know. One being John Howard’s situation right now. With just 3 months before the election, he is trailing behind Opposition Labor Leader Kevin Rudd by 12 points. This is despite Australia experiencing the strongest economic growth in the last decade.
I think in more ‘mature’ democracies, governments are more interchangeable for voters. Rudd is accusing the government of wasting this economic boom by not using it to improve the current infrastructure and investing it in education and healthcare services. Plus he is also winning by a huge margin on the issue of dealing with climate change.
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Both your questions cannot be answered.