Democratic Principles  Called into Question

Nihongo Spirit | 問われる民主主議の原則

Democratic Principles Called into Question

In a democracy, the nation’s representatives are in principle chosen by the majority of the electorate. In practice, however, if the actual voter turnout is, say, 70%, the majority is only 36% of the voters. That is, you can rule the country if you get 36% of the electorate to vote for you. Representatives who win the majority of the vote thanks to a special group of supporters will push policies beneficial to those supporters, creating an extremely solid support base. There are quite a few people in power who practice politics to benefit special interest groups that support them or their own party, rather than for the benefit of the people as a whole. That’s why in many cases people who didn’t vote for them or those who supported the opposition do not stand to benefit. In other words, the tax money paid by the remaining 64% – those who don’t belong to special interest groups – will be used for mainly such policies. Meanwhile, there’s a tendency in Japan to choose leaders of organizations in advance through discussion, rather than by voting. To pave the way for the success of these discussions, a “nemawashi ” (a sounding out) is conducted of all the parties involved. The nemawashi generates the feeling that everyone’s standpoint has been respected allowing people to make concessions. There’s no bad feeling afterwards as the opinions of those who weren’t chosen were respected and conflicts arising from differences of opinion are thus avoided.

民主みんしゅ主義しゅぎ
minnshushugi
(a) democracy
では、
deha,
in
くに代表者だいひょうしゃ
kuni no daihyousha ha
the nation’s representatives
有権者ゆうけんしゃ過半数かはんすう意見いけん
yuukennsha no kahannsuu no ikenn
the majority of the electorate
により
ni yori
by
えらばれるのが
erabareru noga
chosen
原則げんそくとされています。
gennsoku to sarete i masu.
are in principle
しかし
shikashi
however
実際じっさいには、
jissai niha,
in practice
かり
kari ni
if
投票率とうひょうりつ
touhyouritsu ga
(the) actual voter turnout is
70%ななじゅっぱーせんと
nanaju ppa-sennto
seventy percent
とすると、
to suru to,
say
投票者とうひょうしゃ
touhyousha
(the) votors
no
of
過半数かはんすう
kahannsuu ha
(the) majority
36%さんじゅうろくぱーせんと
sannjuuroku pa-sennto
only thirty six percent of
です。
desu.
is
つまり、
tsumari,
that is
有権者ゆうけんしゃ支持しじ
yuukensha no shiji wo
(the) electorate to vote (for you)
36%さんじゅうろくぱーせんと
sannjuuroku pa-sennto
(of) thirty six percent
だけ
dake
only
られれば
erarere ba
if (you) get
くに
kuni wo
(the) country
支配しはいできるのです。
shihai dekiru no desu
(you) can rule
特別とくべつ
tokutei no
a special group of
支持層しじそう
shijisou
supporters
のおかげで
no okage de
thanks to
投票者とうひょうしゃ
touhyousha no
(the) voter
過半数かはんすう
kahannsuu wo
(the) majority of
獲得かくとくした
kakutoku shita
(who) win
代表者だいひょうしゃは、
daihyousha ha,
representatives
支持者しじしゃ
shijisha no
(those) supporters
利益りえきになる
rieki ni naru
beneficial to
政策せいさく
seisaku wo
policies
すすめ、
oshi susume,
will push
それが
will push
[it]
きわめて
kiwamete
extremely
強固きょうこ
kyoukona
(support) base
支持しじ基盤きばん
shiji kibann wo
a(n) solid
きずきます。
kizuki masu.
creating
国民こくみん全体ぜんたい
kokuminn zenntai
(the) people as a whole
no
of
利益りえき
rieki
(for) the benefit
ではなく、
deha naku,
rather than
自分じぶん
jibunn
(that) support them
ya
or
とう支持しじする
tou wo shiji suru
(their own) party
特別とくべつ利益りえき団体だんたいのために
tokubetsuna rieki danntai no tame ni
special interest groups to benefit
政治せいじ
seiji wo
politics
おこな
okonau
(who) practice
権力者けんりょくしゃ
kennryokusha ha
people in power
少なくすくありません。
sukunaku ari masenn.
there are quite a few
そのため、
sono tame,
that’s why
おおくの
ooku no
in many
場合ばあい
baai,
cases
投票とうひょう
touhyou ni
vote for them
かなかったひと
ikanakatta hito
who didn’t people
ya
or
反対派はんたいは
hanntaiha wo
(the) opposition
支持しじしたひと
shiji shita hito ha
those (who) supported
恩恵おんけいけられないのです。
onnkei wo ukerare nai no desu.
do not stand to benefit
えると、
ii kaeru to,
n other words
特別とくべつ利益りえき団体だんたい
tokubetsuna rieki danntai ni
special interest groups
ぞくさない
zokusa nai
(who) don’t belong to
64%ろくじゅうよんぱーせんと
rokujuuyonn pa-sennto
sixty four percent
ちか
chikai
by the remaining
人々ひとびと
hitobito no
those
税金ぜいきんも、
zeikinn mo,
(the) tax money
おも
omo ni
mainly
その政策せいさく
sono seisaku ni
such policies
使つかわれる
tsukawareru
paid
ことになります。
koto ni nari masu.
will be used for
一方いっぽう
ippou,
meanwhile
日本にほん
nihonn
Japan
では、
deha,
in
投票とうひょう
touhyou
by voting
ではなく
deha naku
rather than
事前じぜん
jizenn no
in advance
はな
hanashiai
discussion
de
through
組織そしき
soshiki
organizations
no
of
トップとっぷ
toppu wo
leaders
める
kimeru
to choose
傾向けいこう
keikou ga
(a) tendency
あります。
(a) tendency
there’s
このようなはないを
kono youna hanashiai wo
these discussions
成功せいこうさせる
seikou saseru
(the) success of
ために、
tame ni,
to pave the way for
関係者かんけいしゃ
kannkeisha ni
of all the parties involved
根回ねまわし」
“nemawashi”
(a) nemawashi
打診だしん)が
(dashinn) ga
(a) sounding out
おこなわわれます。
okonaware masu.
is conducted
根回ねまわしは
nemawashi ha
(the) nemawashi
みな
mina no
everyone’s
立場たちば
tachiba ga
standpoint
尊重そんちょうされ、
sonnchou sare,
has been respected
人々ひとびと
hitobito ga
people
いをつけられるような
oriai wo tsukerareru youna
allowing to make concessions
感覚かんかく
kannkaku wo
(the) feeling (that)
します。
umi dashi masu.
generates
えらばれなかった
erabare nakatta
(who) weren’t chosen
ひと
hito
those
no
of
意見いけん
ikenn mo
(the) opinions
尊重そんちょうされ、
(the) opinions
were respected and
見解けんかい
kennkai
opinion
no
of
ちが
chigai
differences
から
kara
from
こる
okoru
arisingare
対立たいりつ
tairitsu ga
conflicts
けられる
sake rareru
avoided
ので、
node,
are (thus) as
あとになって
are (thus) as
afterwards
わだかまりをのこしません。
wadakamari wo nokoshi masenn.
there’s no bad feeling

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