From Development to Democracy: The Transformations of Modern Asia

Asians authoritarian regimes have democratized as they have grown richer, but why some haven't is the subject of Dan Slater and Joseph Wong's book From Development to Democracy. They contend that Asian dictators have sought democratic reforms as a proactive strategy to revitalize their power from a position of strength, with success in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan and failure in Indonesia, Thailand, and Myanmar. They also argue that China's 1989 crackdown was the action of a regime too weak to concede, not too strong to fail.

Format: Hardback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 06 September 2022
Publisher: Princeton University Press

Over the past century, Asia has undergone a remarkable transformation, characterized by rapid economic growth, industrialization, and urbanization. This remarkable development has transformed one of the world's poorest regions into one of its richest. However, the record of democratization in Asia has been uneven, despite the global correlation between development and democracy. Why have some Asian countries become more democratic as they have grown richer, while others, most notably China, have not? In their book, "From Development to Democracy," Dan Slater and Joseph Wong provide a comprehensive and original answer to this crucial question.

Slater and Wong challenge the conventional expectation that authoritarian regimes concede democratization only as a last resort, during times of weakness. Instead, they argue that Asian dictators have pursued democratic reforms as a proactive strategy to revitalize their power from a position of strength. The key factor determining whether authoritarian regimes pursue democratic reforms is their confidence in victory and stability. In Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, these factors fostered democracy through strength, while democratic experiments in Indonesia, Thailand, and Myanmar were less successful and more reversible.

Resistance to democratic reforms has proven intractable in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Slater and Wong offer a fresh perspective on China's 1989 crackdown, arguing that it was the action of a regime too weak to concede, not too strong to fail. They explain why China can allow democracy without inviting instability.

The result is a comprehensive regional history that offers important new insights about when and how democratic transitions happen. It sheds light on the factors that facilitate and hinder democratic change in Asia and provides valuable lessons for policymakers and scholars alike. "From Development to Democracy" is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complex dynamics of political change in Asia.

Weight: 724g
Dimension: 167 x 242 x 34 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691167602