Nguyen, Thi Anh Th (2015) Revisiting democratization in Myanmar and Indonesia from a comparative perspective. Journal of Social Sciences, 45 (1). 2.

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Abstract

Southeast Asia is one of the most interesting spots for democratization in the world today. The regional diversity is made up by: Indonesia, the world's third largest democratic nation, the Philippines, Asia's oldest democracy, and the consolidated democracies of Malaysia, Thailand, and other types of authoritarian rule. Besides this diversity, the transition from authoritarian rule to democracy in the region also attracts academic attention. Myanmar and Indonesia are good examples of the political transformation from the authoritarianism under the military government to democratic forms of government. However, after the resignation of Ne-Win in 1988, Burma still remained a military dictatorship, while Indonesia, after 21 years (1967-1998) under the authoritarian Suharto-led New Order government, successfully transitioned to a democratic society. The aim of this paper is to explore the different patterns of political transitions under two military dictatorships in Southeast Asia. This qualitative paper draws on documentary review, historical narratives and the critical analysis of theories in authoritarianism, democratization from different perspectives, including political culture, economic growth and crisis, political elites, class conflict, civil society and globalization. The paper found that the military junta, civilian leadership, economic development, social class, and political leaders are key factors that led to the different paths in democratic transition in the two countries. This comparative study seeks to understand the dynamics of contemporary democratization in this rapidly changing region, and contributes to improving the knowledge of authoritarian regimes in Southeast Asia.

Item ID:	87242
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	2985-1386
Copyright Information:	The following uses are always permitted to the author(s) and do not require further permission from Chula Digital Collections provided the author does not alter the format or content of the articles, including the copyright notification: Posting of the article on the internet as part of a non-commercial open access institutional repository or other non-commercial open access publication site affiliated with the author(s)'s place of employment (e.g., a Phrenology professor at the University of Southern North Dakota can have her article appear in the University of Southern North Dakota's Department of Phrenology online publication series).
Date Deposited:	20 Oct 2025 23:27
FoR Codes:	44 HUMAN SOCIETY > 4408 Political science > 440803 Comparative government and politics @ 50% 44 HUMAN SOCIETY > 4408 Political science > 440808 International relations @ 50%
SEO Codes:	23 LAW, POLITICS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES > 2302 Government and politics > 230203 Political systems @ 50% 23 LAW, POLITICS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES > 2302 Government and politics > 230299 Government and politics not elsewhere classified @ 50%
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