Conservative Parties and Their Opponents in France and Japan - Essay Example

Compare the significance of the dominant conservative parties and their opponents on the left (and in the center, as in the case of the DPJ) in France and Japan Introduction France and Japan have heard disturbing political backgrounds. Both countries have heard resistance from the US economically and politically influencing their leadership. The two countries have also suffered from huge blows economically. In France, the country has heard unrests all with recent ones being more prolific. On the other hand, Japan has encountered numerous scandals that have halted leadership and power in Democratic Party. In 1955, the Liberal Democratic Party merged with other political parties and formed Japan Democratic Party. The party was a conservative party and joined to fight the Japan Socialist Party (Fackler). Due to this unity, the Japan Democratic Party won the next elections, held this power for over almost five decades, but lost the power in 1993. The party strategies came from its strong ties with the United Nation and the USSR. However, Criminal Intelligence Agency in US was not happy with the Socialist and the Communist party and therefore spent millions of dollars influencing Japans elections in the favor of the Liberal Democratic Party. Many analysts argue that the influence was due to the second world war that really affected the Japanese hence the CIA were worried of their counter reaction. The influence of the US CIA was a deep kept secret and was only revealed later in the 1990 thanks to The New York Times. In the 1960’s LDP managed to host 1964 Olympics and neutralize the Vietnam War (Fackler, Osaka Mayors Radical Message Has Broad Appeal in a Weary Japan). Their success continued as the Party managed to improve the country’s economy. However, the Party did not have it smooth all the way. The Party encountered resistance from the Socialist Party and Japan Community party. LDP also encountered many scandals including some of young members breaking away from the government and joining their opponents. Despite this, the government managed to consolidate and move forward. The Party made policies from all specters of the economy that managed to hold the party into leadership until 1993 when it lost. The party lost due to lack of power to influence voters in addition to many scandals in the government. Despite the loss the LDP was able to gunner its power back and after three years it was back to leadership. In 1998, Democratic Party of Japan was formed. The party challenged LDP mostly in 2003 and 2004 in parliamentary elections (Sieg). France political interest began hundreds of year ago with philosophers such as Locke challenging the government in its governance role. However, a new government emerges in France after the Second World War in 1946. The country was under the French Union before joining NATO later. As already mentioned, LDP played a major role in neutralizing war in Vietnam. Vietnam is a country of interest by the two countries since the opposing Communist Party originated from there. Just like the LDP in Japan, French Union suffered many setbacks while in leadership mainly after pulling out of NATO. The party experienced weakened leadership policies that saw students unrest and taking to the streets. Factory workers also engaged in strikes all over the country due to poor policies. However, the Party was able to bring the country back to normalcy in 1969 after Gaulle’s successor Georges Pompidou made changes to the policies. The new president also introduced the free economy structure that empowered his political leadership (McNicoll). While at power, the opponents did not rest but ensured continued pressure until 1974 when they got power. Valery Giscard became the new president of France from the Conservative party. The war for supremacy did not end there just like in Japan. It only took the Socialists six years to be back on power. During their second tenure of ruling, the Socialists suffered a big blow in terms of economic leadership. President Francois Mitterrand neutralized the nuclear energy industries and suspended nuclear power construction and in addition to this, he imposed heavy fines on the rich. This created a significant change economically and inflation rose to 12%. This was not a setback but only enabled Mitterrand to progress tirelessly in leadership. France was able to make good relations with the European Union. Jacques Chirac also a socialist won the elections in 1995 (Gourevitch). In his first assignment, he managed to back to the nuclear testing and disregarded all international complaints and protests against the matter. The conservative party in France has suffered strikes that are more serious in the last decade than any other country. In 2002 over 10,000 people died most of them the elderly due to industrial strikes. In 2006, workers took on the streets to protest against exclusion and firing of workers under the age of 26 years. In 2007, the country suffered similar rioting and strikes. Students took to the streets due to the killing of two teenagers of foreign origin. The strikes took two weeks and spread to over three hundred towns (Harlan). The war reflected social inequality and high employment that Africans and Asians are suffering from. Both countries have had poor relations with the US for various reasons of common interests. Japan having suffered from the atomic bomb from the US hands it would definitely be compelled to have retaliatory effects on US. France has a history of engaging on nuclear energy construction, which the US tends to oppose all over the world. France has also been involved largely with the NATO that engages mostly in nuclear war and battle. France was against US involvement in war at Iraq. The outgoing president Sarkozy tried to rebuild a fallen relationship between France and US by seeking dialogue with the US. Conclusion Dominant Parties in Japan and France share certain characteristics that have allowed them to survive in the midst of power and supremacy. The major comparison is there grave relationship with the US. The dominant parties have also suffered seriously from scandals and riots that have seriously affected their leadership. Works Cited Fackler, Martin. "Economy Spells Trouble for Leading Party in Japan." The New York Times (2009): 4. Martin, Flacker."Osaka Mayors Radical Message Has Broad Appeal in a Weary Japan." The New York Times (2012): 5. Gourevitch, Philip. "No Exit." The New Yorker ( 2011): 6. Harlan, Chico. "Violent Acts of War Reinterpreted at Shrine in Japan ." The Washington Post ( 2012): 7. McNicoll, Tracy. "Tracy McNicoll." Marine Le Pen, Leader of Frances National Front, Is Not Exactly Daddys Girl (2011): 3. Sieg, Linda. "An Election Raises Fears of the Old Ways." The International Herald Tribune (2012): 6. Read More