Myanmar is Asia’s newcomer to democracy. Its general elections last November capped off six years of political reforms ending almost half a century under military rule. But the Southeast Asian nation is just the latest in the region to undergo a democratic shift in the past decades.
Although the payoffs for sustainable growth are clear, transitioning to democracy is no easy task. Becoming democratic isn’t simply a matter of overthrowing an autocrat or a military regime, but rather a continuous process that shapes a country's mindset, principles, and development, Yves Leterme, International IDEA secretary-general, told Devex during the Annual Democracy Forum in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, last month.
“There is no uni-linear and predictable path to a fully fledged democracy,” Leterme said. “Democracy building is complex and is unpredictable. Gains can be achieved only to be backtracked and reversed to later re-emerge. There is a lot of volatility at these processes.”
About the author
Lean Alfred Santos@DevexLeanAS
Lean Alfred Santos is a former Devex development reporter focusing on the development community in Asia-Pacific, including major players such as the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. He previously covered Philippine and international business and economic news, sports and politics.
