Papers by Emily Pukuma (Hauser)
Why do some post-colonial states endure democratically while others do not? This paper explores t... more Why do some post-colonial states endure democratically while others do not? This paper explores this question in the context of Malaysia, a country initially heralded as a model case of decolonization through peaceful negotiation. A formidable political coalition had navigated the tense waters of a plural society to win Merdeka against British overrule in 1957. Through a tumultuous 1960s, however, challenges to the bargains of independence began to show. Malaysia’s democracy faltered after the intense General Election in 1969, giving way to communal violence in the capital city and culminating in a dramatic end to the country’s democratic regime. Why did Britain’s shining star of post-independence stability succumb to violence and authoritarianism? This paper argues that a protracted transition meant that political leaders and the electorate gained limited democratic experience prior to self-rule. This resulted in an over-confident ruling party unable to respond to diverse pressures from below given the constrained institutional channels between state and society. In addition, however, late colonialism also left an extensive administrative apparatus. When popular frustrations were expressed at the 1969 polls and subsequently in post-election riots, leaders wielded this state capacity to override the institutions of democracy.
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Papers by Emily Pukuma (Hauser)