Tuesday, October 02, 2012

"but the labourers are few" - Voting Right

Tokyo Tower...

Voting Right

How long can Chinese citizens endure the current political condition that they have virtually no voting right.

But it was in 1889 that Japanese citizens got right of vote for the first time, though only rich people could exercise this power.

Those who were 25 years old or older and paid 15 yen or more of direct tax to the central government were given this right of vote.  Those eligible to vote to choose lawmakers accounted for just 1% of all the Japanese people at the time.  But it was vote in an open ballot.

 n 1900, those who were 25 years old or older and paid 10 yen or more of direct tax to the central government of Japan were allowed to exercise anonymous vote.   Those eligible at the time accounted for 2.2%.

In 1919, the tax condition was changed to 3 yen and more.   Those eligible at the time accounted for 5.5%.

In 1925, the restriction on tax was abolished.  All the male Japanese aged 25 or more were allowed to cast a ballot in a national election.  Those eligible at the time accounted for 20%.

So, far before the beginning of WWII or the Pearl Harbor attack, all the Japanese male could participate in national politics.

And when WWII ended in 1945, all the Japanese males and females aged 20 years old or older were given voting right without any restrictions.   For reference, French women also got voting right in 1945 though US women in 1920.

Nonetheless even today  Chinese citizens have virtually no voting right.  Their congress is not a real national assembly.  Their Cabinet is not filled with ministers or secretaries who are chosen through a democratic process.  Their prime minister and president have no democratic backgrounds.

It is time to think about how to introduce real democracy and a true voting system in China.


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Luk 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.