ABSTRACT

Taking a comparative approach, Alan T. Wood traces the evolution of democracy from its origins in prehistoric times and describes democratic growth in thirteen Asian countries from Japan in East Asia to Pakistan in South Asia and examines key issues such as:

* How does the democratic experience in Asia, in countries with unique and totalitarian political traditions, compare with democracies worldwide?
* Is the aspiration to freedom universal or is it a product of western ideas and institutions?

chapter |18 pages

Introduction

What is democracy?

chapter |20 pages

Post-war democracies in Asia

India, Japan, and the Philippines

chapter |20 pages

Later democracies in East Asia

South Korea, Taiwan, and the prospects for China

chapter |21 pages

Later democracies in Southeast Asia

Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia

chapter |12 pages

Fragile democracies in South Asia

Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka

chapter |7 pages

Conclusion