Democracy And Development In Southeast Asia

Exploring the political and economic changes in South-East Asia, this book takes as its starting point the trend - albeit uneven - towards democratization. The authors focus particularly on "Asian democracy", a form that has been adapted by South-East Asians to suit their own particular needs. After building a framework for understanding democracy in its broadest sense, the book investigates the uniquely Asian style of democracy, which borrows democratic political institutions and meshes them with the cultural patterns specific to each country. Separate chapters trace the evolutionary historical processes within each country, as well as citizen participation, electoral practices and civil liberties. Each chapter ends with an assessment of the prospects for democracy in the nation being discussed, as well as an evaluation of whether democratic regimes are necessary for developing successful economies and societies in the new international era.