Well Wall Politician - Idobei Seijika

...In a society where political participation is limited to the wealthy and educated elite, politics is considered an honorary profession, and making a living through politics is despicable and sometimes considered a source of corruption. Even today, people look back with some respect on "well-wall politicians" who lost their fortunes while working hard for the state, leaving only a well and a wall, but this was a time when only those with family wealth were allowed to participate in politics. Conversely, in a society where anyone can become a politician, lawmakers earn their living through annual salaries, and the necessary expenses of being a politician, such as research expenses and election expenses, tend to be covered by political parties and the national treasury. ...

*Some of the terminology that refers to "well-walled politicians" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…政治参加が〈財産と教養〉のある名望家層に限られている社会では，政治は名誉職と考えられ，政治によって生計を立てることは賤しむべきことであり，時としては腐敗の源と考えられている。国事に奔走して家産を失い，残るは井戸と塀ばかりという〈井戸塀政治家〉は今でもいくらかの敬意をこめて回想されるが，それは家産を持つ階層だけに政治参加が許されていた時代のことであった。逆に誰もが政治家になれる社会では，議員は歳費によって生活を賄い，調査費，選挙の費用などの政治家としての必要経費は政党や国庫によって賄われる傾向がある。…

※「井戸塀政治家」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報