Highlighting the centrality of political crafting and institution building, this timely collection explores democratic transitions in East Asia, arguing against the conventional wisdom that Western value systems and middle class economies are essential for democracy to succeed. }This timely collection explores democratic transitions in East Asia, arguing against the standard wisdom that European or Christian value systems and socioeconomic forces are essential for democracy to succeed. Instead the contributors convincingly illustrate that political institutions and broad political coalitions, which can be built anywhere by skilled politicians, are keys to consolidating a democratic breakthrough. An exploration of the East Asian experience reveals truths about Western democratization that are usually obscured by popular Western mythologies. This partnership of U.S. and Asian scholars offers the first systematic effort to bring East Asia into the democratization debate in a way that compels one to rethink the politics of democratization everywhere. The book therefore is a crucial contribution for all those interested in the broader issues of transitions to democracy. }
- ISBN10 0813322650
- ISBN13 9780813322650
- Publish Date 5 December 1994
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 11 October 2009
- Publish Country US
- Publisher Taylor & Francis Inc
- Imprint Westview Press Inc
- Format Paperback
- Pages 276
- Language English