ABSTRACT
Democracy and development in southeast asia analyzes the dynamics of political change, specifically, how and why the countries are, or are not, adopting features characteristic of Western-style liberal democracy. However, these countries face daunting challenges of economic development, national security, and internal insurgency, and their response has been to modify and qualify some elements of democracy. The details differ from country to country, but the overall pattern includes the following characteristics element: Confucianism, patron-client communitarianism, personalism, authority, dominant political party, and strong state. The political cultures of China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Vietnam are heavily imbued with Confucian principles. Confucianism is a complex set of beliefs, some of which can be seen as supportive of democracy. One specific manifestation of personalism prominent in Southeast Asian politics is reliance on leaders with commanding or charismatic personalities. The term state refers to public officials, both elective and appointive, who decide public policy, as well as to the actual machinery of government.
