ABSTRACT
If Southeast Asia has reected the full gamut of the main categories of state types, it has included within that, if somewhat tfully, some states that have developed, or rediscovered, a commitment to forms of democracy. Democracy, in the contemporary sense, implies competitive elections devoid of fraud, with broad surage; civil liberties; freedom of speech, assembly and association; and the elected government having eective capacity to govern. These conditions comply with what is referred to as an ‘expanded procedural minimum’ of requirements (e.g. see Schmitter and Karl 1991). A more normatively desirable substantive democracy also implies the separation of powers between the executive, legislature and judiciary, to ensure there is no undue or corrupt interference in the functions of the key institutions of the state.
