Asian Democracy in World History

by Wood,Alan T.

• ISBN13: 9780415229432
• ISBN10: 041522943X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2003-12-19
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

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? Taking a comparative approach, Alan T. Wood traces the evolution of democracy from its origins in prehistoric times, and describes democratic growth in 13 Asian countries from Japan in East Asia to Pakistan in South Asia. Periods and topics discussed include: The background of Western democracy Post-war democracies in India, Japan, and the Philippines Later democracies in Korea, Taiwan, and the prospects for China Later democracies in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia Failing democracies in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka Together with suggestions for further reading, including Internet sources, this is an ideal starting point for in-depth study of democracy in the entire Asian region.

Author Biography

Alan T. Wood is Professor of History at the University of Washington, Bothell.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
Acknowledgments	xiii
1 Introduction: what is democracy?	1	(18)
2 The rise of democracy in Europe	19	(13)
3 Post-war democracies in Asia: India, Japan, and the Philippines	32	(20)
4 Later democracies in East Asia: South Korea, Taiwan, and the prospects for China	52	(20)
5 Later democracies in Southeast Asia: Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia	72	(21)
6 Fragile democracies in South Asia: Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka	93	(12)
7 Conclusion	105	(7)
Index	112