Democratic Crossroads and Political Transitions in Southeast Asia: Domestic and International Factors

Abstract

Southeast Asia has a rich and complex history with democratization. On the one hand, nearly every country in the region holds regular elections with more candidates than seats to fill political positions. On the other hand, the region's elections are categorized as among the most flawed in the world in terms of quality. This paper examines the domestic and international factors that affect democratization in Southeast Asia. Ultimately, there is little indication of a general trend towards liberal democracy among its diverse countries, which limits the utility of a one-sized-fits-all policy of promoting liberal democracy as a solution to the region's challenges. This has important implications for the role of international actors in the region.

Keywords: democratization, political transition, Southeast Asia, Canada, elections