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[Opinion] Weak Government, Cunning Politics.

Posted March. 23, 2002 09:19,   

한국어

If supposing you have to remove a shrub that is spreading in your garden and plant new crops by bare hands, which method would be the best way to weed them out?

Famous economic scholar in U.S, Lester Saro, who composed painful reformation to eliminate shrub, says, “you should seize it mercilessly with full power and weed it out quickly”

Then, pain ends in a moment and the place where productive crops will be planted can be arranged soon.

On the contrary, timid gardeners repeat seizing and leaving as they are not brave enough to seize the shrub strongly and to weed out the root.

Therefore, hands become full of scars and pain goes on forever, moreover, non-productive shrubs comes out more strongly because of not taking it out by the root.

And of course, the place to plant new crops isn`t arranged, either.

Reformation is a game to be progressed in premise to objection by those who have vested rights always; however, government becomes too weak in front of group protest and gorgeous words of vested right class.

Many reformation that started displaying flags bravely, are turning to bubbles because of government`s timidness, which hesitates due to fear that thorn might prick hands, and political greed that brings compromise between the interest groups.

Strike of public industry that makes noise in the world is a representative example.

On seeing this situation`s procedure, I realize how important brave and consciousness of politicians is in reformation.

Political world doesn`t discusses bill of government in National Assembly as it fears protest of minor shareholders and `dreadful labor unions`, therefore, privatization of Korean Gas Cooperation is still floating despite one strike.

Privatization of Railway industry still remains an apple of discord although strike is halted as political world stays back telling strange political theory because of labor unions.

Now, which country has railway industry as public industry except communist nations, in the world?

Strike of KEPICC (the Korea Electric Power Industry Union) which is continuing for nearly one month is more absurd.

Though the National Labor Relations Commission decided lawful arbitration, and negotiations between labor unions and company is over, but still labor unions refuse the decision and continue the strike.

And the government is helpless.

Strike was expected from a long time, however, government was in flurry without preparing, moreover, it doesn`t have will to dispose it by law as well as wisdom to wind up the situation.

It was good for members of National Assembly to go to illegal strike place of labor union, however, they degraded National Assembly`s dignity by compromising saying `let us re-consider people`s opinion on privatization`.

Ink on privatization law which they passed themselves wasn`t even dry, however, saying revision of bill means, to admit voluntarily the revision for National Assembly to pass it without thinking?

Otherwise, like what Adam Smith said, ` petty trick of cunning animals that are called politicians` is growing ahead of election season?

If ruling party hesitates reformation due to votes, there is no stupid thing like that.

If government works well, votes will come to ruling party, however, if ruling party is negative in reformation in order not to touch mood of interest group, the rest of people who have bigger votes will never have favorable impression of such politicians.

It doesn`t mean agreeing to privatization absolutely.

I just want to ask why government started privatization, if government degrades its dignity by themselves showing non committal attitude of illegal strike like that.

Is this people`s fate who entrust timid gardeners the nation?

Where tragic and brave decisions, when ruling party pressed critical press by mobilizing public power, has disappeared…?

It has been exactly one year since the government declared completion of reformation and said that it would go to ordinary reformation system.

However, nobody has seen the spot of ordinary reformation after that.

We saw only cowardly face of gardeners who said boastfully `we will clean gradually` stepping back from remaining bubbles which weren`t eliminated.

Why illegal strike of KEPIU lead administration dragging for such a long time is probably due to reading of government`s weaknesses.

Now, we are facing season of politics again amidst it.

Politicians will promise plenty of tables by words and in case people choose them, its price will fall on us like disaster, soon.

During its progress, reformation will become harder and home works which were not solved out now will overwhelm our garden becoming shrubs.

¡°It is ok, if economy grows up¡° can be said, however, if government is dragged by labor unions and kicked by political world like this, who would know that bright light which is shown at the end of the tunnel turns into the light of train?

Lee Gyu Min (Editorial Writer)