Navigating Democracy in Asia: Asian Values and the Corruption Conundrum

• In Event: Electoral Effects of Scandals, Crime, and Punishment

Abstract

Conventional wisdom has suggested that manifestations of authoritarian attitudes serve as a signal of democratic backsliding. In such situations, citizens lose trust in democratic government and tend to support political parties that advocate non-democratic and illiberal means. However, in stable Asian democracies, illiberal political practices seem to coexist with democratic principles and can contribute to developing the legitimacy of democracy.
To explain this puzzle, we argue that Asian values can increase satisfaction with democracy in Asian democracies due to the persisting influence of authoritarian legacies. The reason lies on the fact that the enduring presence of authoritarian elements serve as a compensatory mechanism for the shortcoming of liberal democracy in Asia. In the post-World War II era, when many Asian countries were under dictatorial rules, Asian leaders used illiberal democratic practices, referred to as ‘Asian values,’ for justifying authoritarian controls. As a result, some Asians still believe illiberal practices have merits in the way that it can maintain social order and achieve economic prosperity even after democratization. These authoritarian legacies foster nostalgia for the era of dictatorship.
Furthermore, Asian values utilized in the period of authoritarianism contribute to enhancing the legitimacy of democracy. Due to their authoritarian legacies and traditional background, policies preventing social disorder through well-structured regulation and strong leadership remain acceptable ways in Asian democratic countries. Also, Asians tend to believe that they can accept or even require illiberal methods from their government to ensure the well-being of their lives, communities, and countries. Therefore, political actors in Asian countries enact policies that may limit individual freedoms in the interest of the common good, and if needed, citizens willingly adhere to these policies. By embracing Asian values, Asian citizens consider that these constraints are necessary for the effective functioning of their democracy to secure their needs. To sum up, if Asians believe in Asian values, they are more likely to be satisfied with democracy.
Furthermore, this relationship becomes more pronounced in countries where corruption is effectively controlled. Accepting seemingly illiberal practices is typically dependent on the extent to which politicians are committed to the public good rather than their personal interests. Generally, in Asia, a prevailing belief exists that corruption contributes to economic growth, leading to a certain level of tolerance among Asians. However, the topic is still controversial, and some studies find that there is no evidence supporting the idea that the Asian context lessens the trust-eroding effect of political corruption. Notably, political legitimacy in Asia depends on how effectively political leaders address corruption issues. The reason lies on the fact that Asian values prioritize the public interest over individual ones and emphasize obedience to strong political leaders, but all these means are justified only when the purpose is morally upright and serves the greater public good. Consequently, Asians who adhere to Asian values do not dismiss corruption as a minor concern; instead, they justify the rule of political leaders when they believe that these leaders are dedicated to the public good. Therefore, citizens in non-corrupt democratic countries may believe that specific government measures, even if they potentially restrict individual freedoms, are effective in promoting the common welfare, leading to being satisfied with democracy.
On the other hand, when corruption is prevalent, Asians tend to view political elites as failing in their duty to maximize the public interest. They may also believe that these leaders prioritize their private interests over the public good. Therefore, Asians who embrace Asian values may exhibit low levels of satisfaction with democracy, particularly when their countries grapple with pervasive corruption issues.
To examine the correlation between Asian values, corruption levels, and satisfaction with democracy, this study employs cross-national surveys from five waves (Waves 1 to 5) of the Asian Barometer Survey, covering thirty-one country-year classified as democracy. By utilizing multilevel ordered logit estimator, we find a positive relationship between Asian values and satisfaction with democracy. Furthermore, this relationship appears stronger in countries with low levels of corruption. This finding remains robust when using an alternative measure of Asian values or employing trust in government and satisfaction with the specific function of democracy as the other dependent variable.

Authors

• Haseok Oh, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies

• Sung Min Han, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies