One of the advantages of democracy, from the governmental point of view, is that it makes the average citizen easier to deceive, since he regards the government as his government. ... In a democracy, a majority can only turn against the government by first admitting to themselves that they were mistaken in formerly thinking well of their chosen leaders, which is difficult and unpleasant.
Source: Power, a new social analysis, 1938, by Bertrand Russell
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The phrase "the voice of the people" is frequently used both by politicians and by voters. However, public opinion is diverse, and which voices are regarded as the representative "voice of the people" varies from person to person.
The Ishiba administration has repeatedly stated that it will provide "cash benefits" in order to ease the hardships of the people's lives, even if only slightly. However, the actual distribution is said to take place no earlier than the beginning of next year, and the plan is to "recover" the funds through taxation if the economy improves. For this reason, it is uncertain how much people should truly expect.
Furthermore, regarding the delay in providing the benefits, the government explains that it "wishes to make the payments immediately, but the opposition parties are not necessarily cooperative." Yet this does not dispel the suspicion that the real reason for the delay is to avoid giving the benefits too quickly, which might prompt the public to make further demands.
As of August 2025, the Ishiba administration's approval rating is at a historic low. While it is certainly better for approval ratings to be high, high ratings also have their downsides. As Bertrand Russell points out in "Today' s Russell Quote," high popularity can lead to a decline in critical thinking and the prolongation of power.
For example, the Abe administration initially enjoyed high approval ratings, which allowed it to maintain power for a long time. However, scandals such as the Moritomo Gakuen affair and the slush fund issue later came to light. The assassination of Prime Minister Abe made it extremely difficult to determine the extent of his involvement in these issues. Moreover, since criticizing him could risk alienating conservative voters, a considerable number of LDP lawmakers seem eager to maintain the narrative that, while there were many problematic figures around him, Abe himself was pure and incorruptible -- what in Japanese is sometimes called "a crane in a garbage heap."
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