If democracies do collapse, it will likely result not from some kind of technological inevitability but from a human failure to regulate the new technology wisely.
Recall that having more money is more likely to make you happy if you were already happy before you had more money. And the flip side: Beyond a basic level of necessities, it's hard for more money to make you happy if you're not already happy with who you are.
the opportunities that they enjoy at the time, not because of their per-sonal qualities; and that leaders can only choose from a limited set of options determined by other factors of history.
A common view among historians.
They often argue that a leader appears to be influential only because he (or she) pursues policies resonating with views already held by his or her countrymen; that otherwise unim pressive politicians may appear to become great because of
“play for the breaks” はアメリカンフットボール由来の 比喩表現
To play in a way that waits for lucky chances or mistakes by the opponent, rather than trying to dominate from the start.
投資にも通ずるメタファー!
天皇制が良くできているところ。
There was no leader who dominated the Meiji Restoration to the degree that Hitler, Pinochet, and Suharto put their personal stamps on Nazi Germany, post-1973 Chile, and post-1965 Indone-sia, respectively.
Instead, at any one time there were multiple Meiji leaders, and there was a gradual leadership transition in the 1880's. The various leaders all shared the qualification of first-hand experience of the West, and they shared commitment to a basic strategy of strengthening Japan by
The Takaichi cabinet is bringing Japan back to its glorious days.
Japan was the first modern non-European country to match European and neo-European societies (the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) in standard of living, industrializa-tion, and technology.
柔軟性ですね。
In Finland, actions throughout its history have reflected flexibility: sacrificing sacred democratic principles to the extent required to retain political independence. Finns have excelled at negotiating "the least awful of several very bad options."