Andrew Mitchell

Abstract: Despite widespread public opinion against many of his policies, Abe Shinzo’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is not only maintaining its electoral success but expanding on it. Furthermore the LDP has been in almost continual power since 1955, making Japan in the eyes of some a de facto one-party state. This paper will explore the question of legitimacy in Japan’s political system, especially the ones raised by Karel van Wolferen the 1980s, and whether the current power structure can be considered to hold it. Through using Niklas Luhmann’s social systems theory, in particular his concept of political legitimacy, it will be shown that while electoral reforms in 1994 addressed most of the systemic legitimacy issues in Japan’s political system, a potential deficit in the government/opposition coding remains.

Abstract: The issue of legitimacy is the core proposition of political ethics and political philosophy Ever since ancient times,human beings,under different historical conditions,probe into and carry out political legitimacy from different perspective This is the course of the development of political civilization of human beings,the course of the integration of human politics and"moral life" The relation of politics and"moral life"is illuminated and deepened from the perspective of history,law and value Being a basic value which determines that the political order should get acknowledgement from its members,political legitimacy should take precedence in the political life of mankind It is the fundamental impetus for the development of political life and political development It is the basis for the effective combination of country and society,politicians and citizens It is the ultimate goal of political life and political development Different means and approaches to the attainment of"moral life"determines the changes and forms of human political life

Abstract: List of Figures and TablesAcknowledgmentsA Note on ConventionsList of Abbreviations and Japanese TermsIntroduction1. Japanese Politics Under the LDP2. The Politics of Institutional Reform3. Institutional Changes and Koizumi's Leadership4. Electoral Changes and Their Impact5. Hatoyama's Antibureaucratic Stance6. Kan's Struggle in the Government and the DPJ7. Institutions and Political LeadershipAppendix 1Appendix 2NotesBibliographyIndex

Abstract: The concept of sociocybernetics has been shaped over the past 40 years at the intersection between first- and second-order cybernetics, constructive epistemology and systems science. This has produ...