Are politicians irrelevant in the post-modern era?

In a recent TIME magazine article, Michael Elliott suggested that Japan’s experience may be a clue to a post-modern era in which “…politics, something that we have assumed for 200 years was the wellspring of national success or failure, is somehow just not that important..”.

Some excerpts below:

…Consider: Japan is by any standards that count — public safety, widely shared prosperity, quality of infrastructure, health and education indicators, family stability — a remarkably well-governed society. Its best companies set global standards for innovation and efficiency. Its artists have a style and grace that has won them admirers the world over.

And yet when it comes to the headline measure by which a nation is often gauged — the effectiveness of its political system — this whale is reduced to a minnow.

…Is this a problem? At first glance, of course. It is easy to assert that Japan’s politics needs to be modernized. The nation has an aging population; economic competition from South Korea, Taiwan, even China; an education system that undervalues creativity; and a strategic challenge as its great ally, the U.S., ineluctably loses its position as an international hegemon.

Yet on Japan serenely sails. It makes you wonder…(whether)…the world of politics, something that we have assumed for 200 years was the wellspring of national success or failure, is somehow just not that important?…

Might such a thing ever happen in India? I doubt it…

For one, Japan is – in many senses – unique. Japanese bureaucracy – part of the famed “iron triangle” is widely regarded as fairly forward thinking and competent. It’s big business has historically been very close to policy making and continues to  have a strong influence on national economic policy…

For another, as a society Japan is far more comfortable with a consensus-based style of decision-making which means that even in the absence of a strong central authority, things do move and decisions do get taken…

The role of politicians is thus diminished. In many cases, they are actually ex-bureaucrats or businessmen.  There is indeed a school of thought in Japan called “The Dominant Bureaucracy School” which maintains that “…Japanese politics has been dominated by the bureaucracy…” [ more here ]

The contrast with India does not need to be emphasised…

Our political masters can rest easy…