Japan on the road to fascism?

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JohnSchreimann Posted: Wed, Jun 25 2008 8:30 AM

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Fining employers who hire fat people.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2008/06/23/kyung.fat.busters.cnn

I even had one person say that "It would good for a country with nationalized health care.  The same with banning cigarettes and marijuana."

What did Hayek say about government planning and being forced to fit the "service" or "plan" government has rather than the reverse?

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Byzantine replied on Wed, Jun 25 2008 9:30 AM

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 Japan is a racially homogenous classical nation-state.  The tendency is to run such places like family because in a real sense, that's what you are.  So you provide a social safety net because that's what you do for family.  You discipline people for not pulling their weight because we're family and all in this together.  The model is unsustainable above anything but a very local level.  Secularism, inflation and taxes put affordable family formation beyond the reach of most people so Japan, therefore, is going extinct.

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Kakugo replied on Wed, Jun 25 2008 10:50 AM

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 Japanese have a weird relationship with their government.

For example it's compulsory to pay a TV license tax but... there's no law setting penalities. All NHK can do is send a (very polite) letter asking you to pay or, at very worst, send a very polite employee that will ring your doorbell, bow down and ask you to pay your dues. You can slam the door in his face, refuse to open or simply listen and do as you like. No judge will order your properties to be confiscated.

Another example: prostitution is illegal in Japan. That's an inheritance of the US moral crusaders, though US military officers and Japanese officials wrote down the law as to willingly leave a loophole as large as an aircraft carrier. Yes, it's illegal to pay for sexual performances but not for a nice lady to keep you company. Catch my drift?