[Ronin4hire]

Originally Posted by komitsuki

But yes. It's because of the American government. The Committee of Persecuting Collaborators for the Japanese Empire before the Korean War was disbanded under the orders by the American government to South Korea. Today's mainstream South Korean politicians are almost all of the descendants from the people who were bailed out by the American government before the Korean War.

I'm still not seeing the connection. And this is why South Korean government today is not transparent? (Or as transparent as you would like it)

Originally Posted by komitsuki

BTW, it's more than one administration. It's an ironic South Korean tradition. Let's also include the undemocratic dictatorship of Park Chung-hee approved by the American government.

OK fine.. but the original point was that South Korean Democracy was not functional remember? No democracy is perfect.

Originally Posted by komitsuki

FFS? Ad hominem? Not worth discussing.

No... simply an expression of my impatience with you. And why is it not worth discussing? Because I'm right? Because I exposed your inability to take into account the bigger picture?

Originally Posted by komitsuki

And North Korea got its final phase of nuclear technologies from researching those reactors handed by the American government.

Yes I'm aware of the various agreements between America and NK. I originally thought you were talking warheads.

Originally Posted by komitsuki

And you said that Because generally speaking I'm under the impression that the average Japanese citizen is far removed from politics at the national level. Or is my impression the one that needs changing? in your previous post and MMM said Unfortunately, I think your perception is the reality. It is too bad the Japanese people aren't more politically active.

http://www.japanforum.com/forum/japa...he-resign.html

Lack of participation or interest in politics in Japan does not mean that democracy is lacking or that the alternative to democracy is desirable. Way to jump to conclusions. Oh by the way... I can't believe I didn't think of this earlier.. but how do you think Japan's incompetent government is going to change? What's that??? democratically I hear you say? Yeah I thought so. You seem to be taking the group harmony aspect of Asian society as grounds to justifying authoritarianism.

Originally Posted by komitsuki

But it is still Socialism with Chinese Characteristics... in reality it is another form of authoritarian.

However you want to describe it... the trend is towards liberalisation which also includes a trend towards democratisation. That's what I was pointing out.

Originally Posted by komitsuki

But ideas do have culture based on its society.

I'm suprised that this is your argument considering you claim merit to be so important to you. Ideas succeed or fail based on their merit. I'm familiar with the perception you hold but I think it is erroneous. The rejection of an idea because it is deemed non-traditional goes against modern rationalist thought.

Originally Posted by komitsuki

But too bad that democracy is based on liberal market economy. I never think democracy is based on meritocratic.

You're missing the point. You don't decide what has merit or what doesn't. Merit is what works. In a democracy the one with merit is the one who people believe has it the most.. whether it turns out that this is true or not depends... but the fact is that governments who run on political platforms which turn out to lack merit get voted out. Therefore I think it is safe to say that democracy is the system of government which can be described as meritocratic.

Originally Posted by komitsuki

No, this is why I explained the situation I know the most, East Asia.

I see.. So you know nothing about the other continents. Well let me tell you this. This trend of justifying oppresion on the basis of culture happens the world over.

Originally Posted by komitsuki

Ad hominem? Ouch.

Maybe... but it was a valid question at the same time. I now know you're tactic when you want to retreat from a discussion without looking like a tard.

Originally Posted by komitsuki

Funny. I heard many similar Asian anti-democratic arguments by Westerners who are very familiar with Asian politics and once lived there for several years.

Yeah but the very fact that Asian scholars can recognise the advantages of democratic systems of government works in my favour as it shows that the idea that Asia is incompatible with democracy is hardly a fact.

Originally Posted by komitsuki

You mean the former Rhee Syngman? There is only one former South Korean president that had a last name of Lee (or Rhee) and he was an undemocratic bastard later on. You know he got kicked out of South Korea and moved to Hawaii because of the massive undemocratic corruptions. How hypocritical. I laughed, Ronin, I laughed so hard.

Laugh it up... I got a name wrong big deal.. and maybe I'm confusing names but it was an essay in response to former Singaporean president Lee Kuan Sew's famous assertion that Asia was incompatible with democracy.

BTW... Could you please not pick apart this any more than it is already. It's troublesome having to seperate quotes out. I'm more than able to read paragraphs and to connect which of your counterpoints correspond to my points.