Comparing political systems

I spent a time today for preparing next lecture on American economy.

Following the last one in which I talked about the US political structure, this week's lecture would more focus on the role of each actor in policy making. While making a presentation, I remembered some scenes in DC and London. Those quite memorable experiences have motivated me to consider about the ideal political institution for Japan.

Professor Francis Fukuyama's word in our class was one of those. He said in the first class of Comparative National System at our school, "if you know only one country, you don't know any country". Then, he talked about how important to learn governance was. In our school, most of professors and classes were supposed to give us opportunities to learn policies. However, we might lack the perspectives of comparing the process of the policies, or outcomes. Indeed, there are so many Japanese, who have or learn Amercian perspectives and its good points. Most of them simply suggest Japan to apply the same way America suceeded. But it isn't so simple. Lacking the understanding the big difference of political system between two countries, we can't get the same outcomes by the same inputs.

Visiting London was from such reasons. At that time, I noticed that there were our ancestors, who thought the same way and looked around the European countries. The mission was led by Tomomi Iwakura and the best and brightest in Japan. Every time I consider about building the better goverment system, these people give me a confidence to go on in that way.