Democratic Recession, Autocratization, and Democratic Backlash in Southeast Asia (Contestations in Contemporary Southeast Asia)

"This book presents a new organizing framework for studying democratic recession and autocratization in Southeast Asia. By introducing a new concept, "democratic backlash," the book details how democratic recession inevitably provokes resistance that often forms the nucleus of new democratic movements, and in doing so, argues that it is important to identify these reverse trends that may eventually become dominant. The book contributes to current literature which thus far has sought to understand the causes and consequences of the decline in democracy around the world. Previous literature has focused primarily on advanced democracies, or alternatively, on large scale quantitative comparison. As such, this book helps fill a research gap with its focus on Southeast Asia, employing a comparative case study approach. Chapter authors are experts on Southeast Asia, a region that has experienced democratic recession and autocratization in a variety of ways, from rising populism to military coups."--Back cover Acknowledgments Contents Notes on Contributors List of Figures List of Tables 1 Democratic Decline and Rising Autocratization in Southeast Asia: An Organizing Framework Democratic Reversals Autocratization The Inherency of Authoritarian Tendencies Democratic Backlash An Organizing Framework for Understanding Democratic Recession Democratic Recession in Southeast Asia Contextual Factor One: External Influence Contextual Factor Two: Political Institutions Contextual Factor Three: Societal Support and Norms of Accountability and Participation Process Factor One: Governance, Corruption, and Democratic Recession in Southeast Asia Process Factor Two: Authoritarian Innovations, Populism, and Democratic Decline Process Factor Three: Democratic Backlash Democratic Recession and Autocratization in Southeast Asia References 2 At the Sharp Edge of Power: Philippines–China Relations and Democratic Erosion Under Duterte Introduction Endogenous and Exogenous Drivers of Democratic Erosion Original Sin? China’s Economic Overtures Under Arroyo Confrontation Under Aquino, 2010–2016 Conciliation Under Duterte, 2016–2022 Toward Influence Operations? Conclusion References 3 Anies Baswedan and Substate Populism in Jakarta, Indonesia Introduction Populism, Polarization, and Democratic Decline Democratization and the Rise of Conservatism in Indonesia Divisive Gubernatorial Election, Islamist Populism, and Polarization Three Factors of Substate Populism in Jakarta, Indonesia Decentralization Pre-existing Resentment/Anxiety Capacity to Dominate Local Narratives Anies Baswedan’s Rhetoric and Policies: Islamist or Technocratic Populist Leader? Zero Down Payment Housing Scheme Environmental Policy COVID-19 Policies Does Substate Populism in Jakarta Endanger Democracy in Indonesia? Conclusion References 4 In Limbo: Islamist Populism and Democratic Stagnation in Malaysia Introduction Populism and Democratic Stagnation Islamization and Authoritarianism in Malaysia Islamist Populism in Malaysia The Future of Democracy in Malaysia Conclusion References 5 Democratic Backsliding in Malaysia: Executive Aggrandizement Under Muhyiddin Yassin’s Government Introduction Malaysian Politics: An Overview Democratic Backsliding and Executive Aggrandizement Executive Aggrandizement Under Muhyiddin Yassin Role of the Malaysian King COVID-19 and Emergency Powers Silencing Media and Civil Society Conclusion References 6 Propagating and Resisting Authoritarian Innovation Online: Thailand’s ‘ROTC Cyber’ Activity Introduction Authoritarian Innovations, Social Media, and Democratic Recession Thailand, the Military, and Authoritarianism Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) ROTC Cyber Content of Indoctrination Dissemination of Pro-military Information Reshaping the Image of Military Training and ROTC Program Promotion of the Military’s Political Role Discourses Promotion or Normalization of Military Characteristics Effectiveness of ROTC Cyber Strategy in Publishing Production Quality Engagement and Feedback Impacts of ROTC Cyber Conclusion References 7 Rural Grassroots Governance-Building in Myanmar Introduction Background Study Approach Analytic Framework Building Grassroots Governance Through Hybrid Organisation Proto Governance Pockets of Effectiveness (POE) The Cases Cases 1 and 2: Kayin and Chin States Case 3: Kayah State Findings and Analysis Chin State Findings and Analysis Kayah State Findings and Analysis Kayin State Findings and Analysis Synthesising the Evidence Are These Pockets of Effectiveness? Conclusions, Discussion, and Implications References 8 Returned Migrants and Democratization in Village Head Elections in Indonesia: A Glimpse of Hope from Indramayu Introduction Authoritarian Enclaves, Democratization, and Economic Transformation Indramayu Regency The Shifting Village Economic Structure Investing New Wealth of Returned Migrants The Emergence of New Village Elites Democratization and New Elites: Returned Migrants in the Village Head Elections The Fall of the Old Elites The Village’s Democratization Conclusion References 9 Regimes, Repression, Repertoires: Student Protest Movements and the Repertoires of Contention in the Philippines and Indonesia Introduction Repression and Repertoires: An Overview Brief History of Student Protest Movements in the Philippines and Indonesia Student Protest and State Response in Post-1986 Philippines Student Protest and State Response in Post-Reformasi Indonesia State Agents, Repression, and Impacts on Repertoires Conclusions References 10 Myanmar: From Hybrid Democracy to Violent Autocracy Myanmar’s Autocratic Innovation Reversal into Complete Military Control Democratic Backlash and the Future of the Country The Formation of a Democratic Backlash Sustaining the Democratic Backlash Some Successes of the Democratic Backlash: Redefining an Inclusive Federal Agenda Conclusion References Index