Synopses & Reviews
In the immediate aftermath of the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis, several countries went through political transformations. Indonesia, South Korea, and Thailand all underwent political reform and democratization. Malaysia, although also hit by the financial crisis, remained authoritarian. Is there a connection between economic crises and political change? Once the crisis abates do changes stick? Why did political reform happen in some places and not in Malaysia? Several factors are useful in explaining the variation in political transitions: IMF involvement, popular protests, the nature of political opposition, and elite alliances at the highest levels of government all help determine the success or failure of democratization efforts.
Review
“Amy L. Freedmans book Political Change and Consolidation is an informed and insightful exploration of the dynamics of democratization in the four East Asian countries most affected by the 1997-1998 regional economic crisis. Her comparative analysis is solidly grounded in democratic theory and political economy. The study, while acknowledging the roles of popular protest and forces originating in civil society, identifies intra-political elite perceptions and preferences as the key to explaining the policy reactions of four sets of national decision makers to the domestic and international political pressures generated by economic collapse. In particular, she focuses on the domestic political impacts of the IMFs demands and programs to demonstrate the potency of the international factor in shaping both the pace and the possibilities of consolidation of democratic change.” --Donald E. Weatherbee, Donald S. Russell Distinguished Professor Emeritus, University of South Carolina "Amy L. Freedman has written a subtle and sophisticated analysis of the relationship between economic turmoil and the democratization process. Through detailed case analysis, she has demonstrated that no single theory will explain the different paths that Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and South Korea experienced after the 1997 financial crisis." --David Denoon, Professor of Politics and Economics, New York University "The book is clearly written and has concise historical overviews of each state's path toward democracy... Recommended." —CHOICE
Synopsis
In the immediate aftermath of the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis, several countries went through political transformations. Indonesia, South Korea, and Thailand all underwent political reform and democratization. Malaysia, although also hit by the financial crisis, remained authoritarian. Is there a connection between economic crises and political change? Once the crisis abates do changes stick? Why did political reform happen in some places and not in Malaysia? Several factors are useful in explaining the variation in political transitions: IMF involvement, popular protests, the nature of political opposition, and elite alliances at the highest levels of government all help determine the success or failure of democratization efforts.
Synopsis
This book explores the varying reactions to the political turmoil in Asia in the late 1990s by looking at external pressures from global actors (the IMF and US security policy), popular protests, the nature of the opposition, and elite coalition formation/dissolution at the highest levels of government.
About the Author
Amy L. Freedman was an associate professor of government at Franklin & Marshall College, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She is currently the Asia Pacific coordinator of a consulting project on democratization and political Islam. Published works include Political Participation and Ethnic Minorities: Chinese Overseas in Malaysia, Indonesia, and The United States (2000) and several articles: “Thailand’s Missed Opportunity for Democratic Consolidation”, Forthcoming in Japanese Journal of Political Science, Spring 2006; “SARS and Challenges to Regime Legitimacy in China” Asian Affairs (London), Summer 2005; “Economic Crises and Political Change: Indonesia, South Korea and Malaysia” World Affairs, Summer 2004; “The Implications of Ballistic Missile Defense for Northeast Asia” Co-authored with Robert Gray. Orbis Spring, 2004; “Political Institutions and Ethnic Chinese Identity in Indonesia”. Asian Ethnicity , Vol. 4, Number 3. October, 2003; “The Effect of Government Policy and Institutions on Chinese Overseas Acculturation: The Case of Malaysia” Modern Asian Studies; Vol. 35, part 2, May 2001 and “Globalized Chinese Capital in Central America” Asia Pacific: Perspectives Vol. 1, no. 1, May 2001. Co-authored with Ethel C. Brooks.
Table of Contents
Introduction * Thailand: Successful or Incomplete Democracy * South Korea: The Final Hurdle for Democracy * Indonesia: Democratization but Hurdles Still Remain * Malaysia: Defiance in the Face of Adversity * Concluding Chapter