The Economist (October 19)
“Constitutionally, the emperor is ‘the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people’. But the imperial cocoon in which he is kept risks making him more of a relic. Much like his father, Emperor Naruhito is relatively informal when touring the country, petting dogs and chatting with schoolchildren.” However, “the royal family has scant leeway to make itself more relevant” as it remains bound by “stifling bureaucracy and ritual.”
Tags: Bureaucracy, Constitution, Emperor, Imperial cocoon, Informal, Naruhito, Relic, Risks, Royal family, Stifling, Symbol, Unity
The Economist (April 14)
“Germany is entering a new era. It is becoming more diverse, open, informal and hip.” As the Merkel era draws to a close, “many of the country’s defining traits—its ethnic and cultural homogeneity, conformist and conservative society, and unwillingness to punch its weight in international diplomacy—are suddenly in flux.”
Tags: Conformist, Conservative, Diverse, Era, Flux, Germany, Hip, Homogeneity, Informal, Merkel, Open, Traits
