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sentiment, not even in Seoul, Bangkok or Jakarta where one might have expected it for historical reasons; Japanese economic supremacy is obviously accepted as a fact of life with admiration and seemingly
little rancour.
11.
References to the UK were invariably flattering and, I think, sincerely so. In the space of one morning in Delhi, Britain was described separately by a leading member of the Congress (I) and by a leading opposition politician as "a clever country" and there were references elsewhere to the UK's diplomatic acumen and democratic maturity. Nor have the good points of the Raj been interred with its bones. A Tamil taxi-driver in Colombo (aged 30) declared that in British times promotion had been by merit; now ethnic discrimination was widespread. Others spoke admiringly of the British insistence on the rule of law. Somewhat to my surprise, only in Seoul was there any reference to last summer's riots in British cities and there was very little interest anywhere in the increase in college fees for overseas students in the UK. There was, however, widespread interest in the current British political scene the emergence of the SDP, the quarrels in the Labour Party and the chances of success for Mrs Thatcher's policies.
12.
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'Unfortunately the admiration for British political principles has not been translated into political reality. Democracy is everywhere an uncertain flower, closest to health perhaps in India and Sri Lanka but even then menaced by dynasticism and the general corruption of the politicians. Somewhat ironically, Seoul boasts a new National Assembly building on the grand scale and others are under construction in Islamabad and Dacca, but whether any of them will be put to full use is at present problematical. In many countries the military continue to be the main repository of power: only in India, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Hong Kong and, as far as is known, Vietnam is the
army non-political.
13. One other aspect of the political situation in Asian countries strikes the observer. Corrupt and avariciously wealthy though many members of the ruling circles may be, the supreme political leaders
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