WASHINGTON ― People talk about transformational politicians. But watching Margaret Thatcher take down the British class system was an education in how it’s really done. It required the radical vision and iron will of someone who genuinely abhorred the status quo. Thatcher demolished the two conservative pillars of British society: the labor unions that held the parliamentary Labor Party in bondage and the upper-class Tory leaders who resembled the benign but hapless relics of “Downton Abbey.” It

I often hear the lament that we Filipinos are not as mindful as our neighbors appear to be of the impending closer integration of the Southeast Asian economies into the ASEAN Economic Community, to culminate less than two years from now. I have heard none of our candidates for national office in the coming elections address the topic, for example, in the way it figures in public discussions within our neighboring countries. And yet, this move of the 10 nations that make up the Association of Sou

TOKYO ― Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s program for his country’s economic recovery has led to a surge in domestic confidence. But to what extent can “Abenomics” claim credit?Interestingly, a closer look at Japan’s performance over the past decade suggests little reason for persistent bearish sentiment. Indeed, in terms of growth of output per employed worker, Japan has done quite well since the turn of the century. With a shrinking labor force, the standard estimate for Japan in 2012 ― tha

Driving in the back alleys of a major city in South Korea, one occasionally comes upon a two-car traffic jam. Narrow roads combined with on-street parking often mean only one car can pass at a time.This combined with the bizarre cultural norms of South Korea sometimes results in two middle-aged men at an impasse. To preserve face neither wants to put their car in reverse to allow the other to proceed. These two-car traffic jams can last as long as an hour while each side puts forth a show of for

Ever since the Tower of Babel, human beings have been speaking in different tongues, inevitably creating communication problems. In the course of history, some languages have become extinct, while a few have thrived and emerged as international languages widely spoken in many countries. English, for example, has clearly become an international language. In Korea, many signs are written in both Korean and English as a courtesy for foreigners.Due to cultural and linguistic differences, however, so