Social Structure and Party Support in the East Asian Democracies (original) (raw)

Social divisions, party support, and the changes in the Thai party system since 2001

International Area Studies Review, 2018

This article investigates the interactions of socioeconomic characteristics and electoral outcomes at the constituency level to demonstrate the change in the Thai party system since 2001. Probing the effects of the agricultural population and income inequality on electoral outcomes in the proportional representation (PR) tier, this article finds that the Thai Rak Thai Party (TRT) and the Democrat Party (DP) attracted voters with opposite social standings. While voters residing in the provinces with substantial agrarian populations tended to vote more for the TRT than the DP, constituencies with highly unequal income distribution were more likely to be DP supporters. The findings provide evidence against alternative explanations, including regionalism and support for a charismatic leader, for the TRT’s consecutive victories. Due to the convergence between social divisions and party support, the Thai party system has become stable and strong enough to resist short-term interventions, ...

Introduction: Taking a Second Look at Asian Political Parties

Rethinking Parties in Democratizing Asia, 2023

This volume would like to steer away from an overly structuralist-materialist view of the democratization process to a more politico-strategic approach emphasizing the role of parties (and movements) as agents of collective action. It will focus on “democratizing” Asia as a verb indicating process and as a noun referring to countries in the region that have endured the odds despite a myriad of historical, structural, and economic constraints in keeping democracy alive. These countries representing the subregions of Northeast Asia (Mongolia, South Korea, and Taiwan), South Asia (India and Sri Lanka), and Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines) have experienced periods of colonialism, nationalism, communism, authoritarianism, and democratization.

Rethinking Parties in Democratizing Asia

Rethinking Parties in Democratizing Asia, 2023

The contributors to this volume examine eight case studies of Asian democracies, arguing that the common element is the extent to which political parties, including opposition parties, have become institutionalized and act as stabilizers in democracy. An essential resource for students and scholars of Asian politics, especially those with a focus on comparative politics, political parties, and institutions.