Introduction: Post-Democratizing Politics in Southeast and Northeast Asia

A growing global trend towards authoritarianism has left democracy, especially its liberal form, under strain. This has occurred despite earlier promises of democratization between the end of the Cold War and the early twenty-first century. Our essay examines how the dynamics of post-democratization politics have played out across several polities in Southeast and Northeast Asia. These regions once included supposed “third wave” democracies and polities apparently on the cusp of political liberalization. Such expectations have not panned out. Instead, the region has generally witnessed either significant authoritarian resilience or autocratic resurgence following spurts of political openness. We examine how such autocratic dynamics have played out following earlier movements toward democratization. Specifically, we identify three key elements of post-democratization politics associated with autocratic success and democratic robustness based on contributions to this special issue, and suggest pathways through which they can affect political outcomes.

Dominant beliefs can prime accommodation with authoritarianism given pervasive acceptance of state-driven ideologies while identification with liberal values can drive democratic consolidation and resistance to autocracy, regardless of wealth and education. Ostensibly democratic institutions, such as constitutional courts, can become anti-democratic instruments when the exercise of their independent prerogatives means upholding autocratic tendencies that align with their interests and outlooks. Agents and their decisions can both prompt and stymie autocratization, whether intentionally or inadvertently; strategies to consolidate authority can fracture even dominant ruling coalitions. Examining the role ideas, institutions, and agents play in post-democratic politics can further efforts at understanding the current authoritarian wave and its limits.

《太平洋事务》特刊序言：东南亚和东北亚的后民主化政治

关键词：民主, 专制, 后民主化, 东南亚及东北亚, 比较政治, 亚洲政治。

尽管在冷战终结后到二十一世纪初这段时间进行的民主化在早些时候看似前景十分乐观，但在日趋转向威权主义的潮流之下，民主–特别是自由民主—在世界范围内都承受着压力。我们的论文考察了后民主化政治的动态如何在东南亚和东北亚数个国家展开。这些地区一度包括了所谓“第三波”民主化的国家以及显然正迈向政治自由化的政体，然而这些期待并未顺利实现。恰恰相反，这个地区普遍来说不是见证了威权主义明显屹立不倒，就是在经历过间或迸发的政治开放之后迎来专制回潮。我们考察了这些专制动态是如何在早期朝向民主化方向的运动后展开的。具体而言，根据本特刊各论文的发现，我们辨识出后民主化政治中与专制胜利和民主牢固性相关联的三个关键要素，并提出它们可以影响政治后果的路径。

基于对国家主导的意识形态的广泛接受的前提，主导的信仰能为接受威权主义做好铺垫；而不论财富和教育水平，对自由价值的认同可以驱动民主巩固和对专制的反抗。当行使其独立的特权意味着保护和拥戴与他们利益和观念符合的专制主义倾向时，诸如宪法法庭之类表面上的民主制度就会沦为反民主工具。行动者和他们的决定可以促进也可以遏制专制化，这可以刻意而为也可以是无意之举——意在巩固权威的策略甚至可以分化主导的统治同盟。考察这些观念、制度以及行动者在后民主化政治中扮演的角色可以进一步加强对当前威权主义浪潮及其局限性的理解。

Translated by Li Guo