Democratizing Reform of Authoritarian Politics in Asia in the Perspective of Comparative Politics: A Comparative Analysis of Japan and the Philippines

The “end of life” is viewed as authoritarian politics’ unavoidable fate. Since the Second World War, Southeast Asia has struggled with the transition from authoritarian to democratic governments. The political system of Southeast Asia, including authoritarian politics, has played a significant role in the emergence of many of these nations. Conversely, democracy has been the prevailing norm in most of these nations, despite their being no universally accepted definition of it. The historical relationship between authoritarianism and democracy has been both unpredictable and ever-changing, either mutually beneficial or fatal. This paper attempts to introduce new variables for contemplating the democratic paths of latecomer countries through a comparison of authoritarian reforms in two countries and the paths of democratic development. It draws on examples of authoritarian-democratic transitions in the East Asian nation of Japan and the South Asian nation of the Philippines. In order to gain a thorough understanding of the transition process and uncover new insights, the study also examines the challenges that have come up during this process.