Democracies in Asia

Democracies in Asia

1. Asian citizens about democracy

   • for
     • Democracy may survive because there are no viable alternatives.
     • Mass media were well trusted, with newspapers judged to be the most trustworthy.
     • NGOs highly trustworthy precisely because of their nongovernmental nature.
     • democratic performance matters more than policy performance and has statistically significant effects more often.
     • Japan and Philippines societies as they become more highly educated and more urbanized, it is expected that their values become more liberal and democratic.
     • For authoritarian options had declined in South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.
   • against
     • In Manila and Taipei they lost confidence in democratic procedures (extraconstitutional demonstrations).
     • In Thailand political crisis in 2006 triggered a military coup.
     • Democracy as an abstract idea was widely embraced, but most would trade it for economic development.
     • authoritarian inclination in most countries
     • Japan turned out to be the most pessimistic about its future, even thought it had a perceived improvement in political freedoms.
     • People perceives that authorities listen to them since the China has doctrine of socialist democracy but also with classic Confucian ideas of benevolent dictatorship.
       • NGOs are perceived to lack prestige and effectiveness because citizens believe that they can appeal to higher levels of government for help.
     • Support for authoritarian system increased in Mongolia and the Philippines. Strikingly, there is now little support for any authoritarian option in South Korea.

2. Democratic system

   • successes
     • hybrid regimes as Singapore and Malaysia
     • Level of democracy in terms of freedom were the best in Australia, Cambodia, Japan and Singapore
     • electoral reforms aim to address legacies of single-party dominance, money politics and regionalisms through rules of proportional representation in Japan, Indonesia and Thailand
       • also to foster accountability through local elections in Philippines and Indonesia
       • and direct elections in the executive in Indonesia, Taiwan and Singapore
   • failures
     • dissatisfaction with democracy in Japan, the Philippines and South Korea
     • Democracy in terms of freedom worsen in Fiji, Philippines and Thailand
       • due to the widespread of corruption, authoritarian enclaves, and inadequate state capacity, which had undermined the rule of law
     • electoral accountability is weak since single parties dominate: Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan
       • in Thailand electoral institutions reflect deep distrust
     • some middle-class groups are skeptical about expanding political representation to nontraditional parties, and they are willing to limit political participation
     • Philippines, Asia's oldest democracy
       • has failed to uphold the ideals and deliver to the demands of the majority of the population

3. Authoritarian system

   • successes
     • China has the he highest level of support in the region for their regime
       • The rapid and seemingly confident rise of China suggests that authoritarian regimes remain serious competitors for legitimacy, at least in economic growth.
     • States that proved apt at managing the economy in times of crisis (Malaysia and Singapore) have often been able to count on increased support
   • failures
     • maintain responsiveness performance legitimacy, not least as a buffer against demands for further political liberalization.
     • doubts on the sufficiency of a single-minded emphasis on the long run or if it is going to need a complementation to ensure stability.

4. Democratic model in Asia

   • strenghts
     • democracy arrive in the region after the WWII
       • was part of the global wave of democratization linked to US occupation in Japan, South Korea; and the collapse of colonialism in the Philippines,Malaysia and Indonesia
     • they have moved towards constitutional governance, stronger civil and political rights, by expanding bills of rights,constitutional courts and human rights commissions
     • improvements in several democratic Asian countries with economic growth in their transition
   • weaknesses
     • Consolidation of democracy requieres
       • reforms to develop structures of horizontal accountability, judicial competence and independence, and economic scrutiny and regulation
         • to monitor, deter, and punish corruption; and to improve party and campaign finance
     • suveys indicate a general lack of confidence in citizens' ability to influence in political processes.
     • in Malaysia and Singapore remains the focus on rule by law
     • in Thailand and Indonesia, it remains a culture of impunity for human rights abuses by members of security services
     • inequality in terms of marginalization of ethnic groups (Chines minorities), political orientation (left groups), gender and socio-economic class

5. Conclusions

   • The overall lesson is not that a democratic form of government cannot find cultural roots in the region, but that democratic governments must win citizens’ support through better performance, both in political and policy terms.
   • It is said that democracy is multi-dimensional that's why attention should be paid to the procedures of the system.
   • We should have in mind the Asian values: family-centered, order-oriented, community-privileged and rooted in cultural traditions as Confucianism.
   • Democratic actors need to explain to citizens the importance of democracy in their countries in order for it to function and to adjust to the global environment in order to perserve their economy
     • Two agendas
       • political actor to promote the aspects of the rule of law
       • for scholars to understand the aspects of the rule of law in order to implement effectively