I have said the same thing - IK is a great unifying symbol and should have been used like that from the start if those maneuvering him actually had the sense for.
It’s not just those maneuvering him, but those opposing him. He should’ve viewed as a vibe, a national embodiment of a frustration with business as usual.
So concessions have to be made to the aspirations of the nation. Not the open demands but the
spirit of the aspirations; people want to see the rule of law, all office holders behave in respect of it, so the public can stop the culture of trying to game the system, and just do honest work, without thinking they will be seen as fools for being honest.
In the Meiji restoration of Japan, the shogun was removed by other powerful samurai leaders, to allow the emperor to actually be in a public position to appear to be ruling, and allowing his authority to unify the nation and thus allowing reforms to be done, and not opposed in a forever civil war. I’m not saying the army chief has to go, but at the very least publicly concede to the nation mood.
If the military and business oligarchy appear to be conceding on 10% on their monopoly on authority, the public, by and large, IMHO, would be willing to concede more of their maximalist demands, in the hopes of gaining vital access to be able to build a normal meritocratic life.
Look at the jumps people in India are willing to go through, in hopes of gaining in a meritocratic manner.
Look at how the Chinese public shifted, in the post 1989 era, when the government conceded to economic reforms and social investment.
As I have always said, the oligarchy had so much more to gain by opening up, having first mover advantage, and being able to move their money into new industries, if they allowed a level field for all new businesses to boom in currently highly monopolized industries.this is what happened in Japan after the war.
Agricultural barons could pull back and use their financial heft to move up the value added chain, supporting local farmers. Investing in R&D for better seeds and selling them to farmers, or export quality food processing plants for the export market. Or loans to farmers to modernize their farms.
The military for its part can turn the western border with Afghanistan from a money sink to a place where they protect rail corridors, bringing in more money to the federal coffers, and allowing an increase in the defense budget.
The nation needs IK to end the impasse, bring a healing touch, and reset public sentiment. Otherwise, should he die to early, we will be stuck with here issues and waste years if not decades to come, cleaning up these issues piecemeal. And even then not conclusively I fear.
Elections should be held in 2027 IMHO, but only after a project 2025 like document has been worked out.
