tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32776756.post2632864351717881357..comments2023-10-20T18:03:01.821+09:00Comments on GlobalTalk 21: Be Careful What You Wish for: The Oita Prefecture Education ScandalJun Okumurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00291478225274759649noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32776756.post-3863908295280061272008-07-20T09:45:00.000+09:002008-07-20T09:45:00.000+09:00Thanks, Ross. I was making the weaker argument tha...Thanks, Ross. I was making the weaker argument that devolution is nowhere near the panacea that the major political parties are making it out to be.<BR/><BR/>I agree with your point that the lack of political competition is the problem. Two of the governors who resigned under bribery charges were well into their fifth terms, while another, a first-term governor, had been elected with across-the-board support except from the Communist Party. But the fourth, also in his first term, had won an uphill battle against the DPJ/Social Democrat candidate. So as you say, it is a complicated issueJun Okumurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00291478225274759649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32776756.post-87511862906994184382008-07-20T00:23:00.000+09:002008-07-20T00:23:00.000+09:00There is in fact a correlation between federalism ...There is in fact a correlation between federalism and corruption found in the political science literature, though it is a bit of a complicated relationship with some countervailing dynamics.<BR/><BR/>I think the problem though is less one of devolution than simply the lack of political competition in many localities. Competition will improve matters. Having governors nominally backed by all major parties is a recipe for disaster (or corruption as the case may be).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com