Political Change In South-east Asia

This text discusses the changing political landscape in South-east Asia, specifically focusing on the region's ten states. The author argues that while democracy is slowly gaining ground in the region, traditional forms of political power will continue to be a fixture for some time to come. This is due to the close ties between the states in the region, as well as the region's strong state apparatus.

This text takes up the debate between those who resist the pressure for democracy and point to unchanging Asian values, and those who believe that the appeal of democracy is universal. The author examines the case for both sides and concludes that the strong state will be a fixture of South-East Asian politics for some considerable time to come. Increasingly close links between the ten states of South-East Asia are likely to reinforce perceptions of a common culture and in the end put up more effective defences against external cultural influence. Review: This thought-provoking book is by the Bangkok bureau chief of the Far Eastern Ecomomic Review, a long-time observer of the Southeast Asian political and economic scene . This is a well-written essay that addresses many of the characteristics of the political process in Southeast Asia that frequently appear to run counter to Western assumptions. This volume can be read by the general reader with considerable profit and shows the real contribution to the understanding of an area that a resident journalist can provide The Journal of Asian Studies. ... Vatikiotis presents a fascinating summary of changes in a vibrant area of the world: how Southeast Asian countries have preserved, recovered, and adapted traditional models of political power in the face of extraordinary pressure from the West. -Clark D. Neher, Northern Illinois University, American Academy of Political and Social Science