Connie Tsai: Week 2

Remaking a Country

Japan's tourism industry places the country in a strange position: it must straddle its position as a somewhat xenophobic nation while also embracing its culture of respect. In the future, Japan will have to consider its position as both a nation largely considered with traditionalism and a protective culture, while also being able to accept its growing tourism.

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Government Systems

In terms of re-branding a nation, the best government system would likely be a democracy or a democratic republic. In order for a nation to brand or re-brand itself, there must be the possibility of communication between the national government and the citizens of that nation. It is not likely that a government would establish an identifier without the possibility of its citizens relating or connecting to that identifier. Eco-tourism in a nation unconcerned with ecology would quickly become a losing battle, and it is unlikely that citizens of that nation would feel compelled to participate in the service industry required to support eco-tourism. In South Korea, for example, "culture and the arts have come to be considered as an essential part of government policy" because of South Korea's strong connection to the formation of a wholly Korean culture despite colonialism and Western imperialism (Yim 40).

In a country like Thailand, where export has become the largest producer for its economy, the movement into inexpensive manufacturing has been due to government allowance: foreign countries base factories in Thailand, taking advantage of cheap labor, creating goods which are less expensive for consumers and raising profit margins.

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Question

Is it possible for a different government system to support the branding or a re-branding of a country? What changes in the situation of a non-democratic system of governance?

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Sources

Bloomberg. "Workers inspect and trim smoked rubber sheets at the Thai Hua Rubber Pcl factory in Samnuktong, Rayong province, Thailand." Getty Images, 30 May 2013. Accessed 15 January 2017.

Yim, Haksoon. "Cultural identity and cultural policy in South Korea." International Journal of Cultural Policy, 17 September 2010. 8:1, 37-48. Accessed 15 January 2017.