Bellybutton politics

Viliam Buchert of MF Dnes said Czech politicians were slow to react to the Asian crisis because they lack political instinct. This is only part of the story. Czechs at times like to think of themselves as the "navel of the world" (a Czech expression for "center of worldly attention") and are more introspective than Westerners when it comes to events beyond their borders. Many Czechs still feel shortchanged by the Velvet Revolution and want the state to take better care of them. One listener illustrated this when he complained on Czech Radio that taxpayer money was being spent to help Czechs caught in the disaster. Only rich people (who don't deserve state help) can afford to vacation on the beaches of Asia, he said. George Bush, Gerhard Schröder and Jacques Chirac won points by showing compassion for the people of Asia. For Czech leaders, the payoff is less clear.