THE MORE DEMOCRATIC a society, the less prevalent nepotism becomes. It may even disappear altogether, at least in theory. In practice, however, it's not like this. Even in the US, the big brother of all democracies, vestiges of nepotism can occasionally be seen.
Of the cabinet chosen by George W. Bush, apart from a small number of positions given to the extreme right, the overall rating has been pretty good. The consideration given to women and ethnic minorities surpasses the efforts of several past presidents. Even liberal columnist David Broader has affirmed Bush's successful avoidance of cronyism. However, Bush's choice for Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman has been scathingly criticized as the product of nepotism.
The newly appointed FCC chairman's name is Michael Powell. He is 37 years old, and previously was one of five members of the FCC.
The FCC is an independent federal organization, responsible to the US Congress. The Commission's five members are all nominated by the President and appointed following approval by the House. In charge of the registration and management of radio, TV, wire, satellite, and cable broadcast businesses, it enjoys a status similar to a communications/broadcasting boss. For example, in last year's historic merger between AOL and Time Warner, the approval of the FCC was necessary before the deal could be sealed.
Admittedly, Powell's appointment as chairman of the federal mechanism that has ultimate authority over all US communications and broadcasting businesses, is not entirely due to good luck. But it has been nonetheless ridiculed as nepotism, primarily because Powell's father is Colin Powell, the man currently serving as US Secretary of State, whom President Bush considers to be his right-hand man.
Has the younger Powell ever used his father's name to help his career? The answer is: definitely. His appointment to the FCC three years ago depended completely on a recommendation by US Senator John McCain. McCain is a good friend of Powell Sr.
The strong support given to Powell Sr.'s son by McCain, a fellow-Republican, was perhaps an example of a longstanding relationship. But when Powell Jr.'s appointment to the FCC was passed, then-Vice President Al Gore made a special trip from a far-off state to attend a celebration banquet held by Powell Sr. Once there, Gore took the unprecedented step of administering the oath of office to Powell Jr. One can see that even Gore was doing all he could to curry the favor of Colin Powell.
But the strongest criticism of Powell Sr. and Jr. has not been due to their father-son displays of influence and power. According to regulations, FCC members are strictly prohibited from from having any financial interest in or connection with businesses under FCC's supervision. But not long after Powell Jr. became a member of the Commission, Powell Sr. became a member of the board at AOL -- and Powell Jr. just happened to be the member most in favor of the AOL-Time Warner merger.
Even more bewildering is the fact that Powell Sr. also held about US$4 million in AOL stocks, which could not help but arouse some suspicion regarding Powell Jr.'s apparent conflict of interest. This kind of modern-day nepotism where "the son gets his position through his father, and the father gets rich through his son," is the thing that people most take issue with.
When even the US is doing it, what should be so strange about the wanton nepotism appearing in the lead-up to Taiwan elections to be held at the end of this year? After all, only candidates without connections stand to suffer.
Wang Chien-chuang is President of The Journalist magazine.
Translated by Scudder Smith
Recently, China launched another diplomatic offensive against Taiwan, improperly linking its “one China principle” with UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to constrain Taiwan’s diplomatic space. After Taiwan’s presidential election on Jan. 13, China persuaded Nauru to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Nauru cited Resolution 2758 in its declaration of the diplomatic break. Subsequently, during the WHO Executive Board meeting that month, Beijing rallied countries including Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Belarus, Egypt, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Laos, Russia, Syria and Pakistan to reiterate the “one China principle” in their statements, and assert that “Resolution 2758 has settled the status of Taiwan” to hinder Taiwan’s
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s (李顯龍) decision to step down after 19 years and hand power to his deputy, Lawrence Wong (黃循財), on May 15 was expected — though, perhaps, not so soon. Most political analysts had been eyeing an end-of-year handover, to ensure more time for Wong to study and shadow the role, ahead of general elections that must be called by November next year. Wong — who is currently both deputy prime minister and minister of finance — would need a combination of fresh ideas, wisdom and experience as he writes the nation’s next chapter. The world that
The past few months have seen tremendous strides in India’s journey to develop a vibrant semiconductor and electronics ecosystem. The nation’s established prowess in information technology (IT) has earned it much-needed revenue and prestige across the globe. Now, through the convergence of engineering talent, supportive government policies, an expanding market and technologically adaptive entrepreneurship, India is striving to become part of global electronics and semiconductor supply chains. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vision of “Make in India” and “Design in India” has been the guiding force behind the government’s incentive schemes that span skilling, design, fabrication, assembly, testing and packaging, and
Can US dialogue and cooperation with the communist dictatorship in Beijing help avert a Taiwan Strait crisis? Or is US President Joe Biden playing into Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) hands? With America preoccupied with the wars in Europe and the Middle East, Biden is seeking better relations with Xi’s regime. The goal is to responsibly manage US-China competition and prevent unintended conflict, thereby hoping to create greater space for the two countries to work together in areas where their interests align. The existing wars have already stretched US military resources thin, and the last thing Biden wants is yet another war.