Alternative meanings of political reform in contemporary Thailand
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Alternative meanings of political reform in contemporary Thailand. / McCargo, Duncan.
In: Copenhagen Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 13, 01.01.1998, p. 5-30.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Alternative meanings of political reform in contemporary Thailand
AU - McCargo, Duncan
PY - 1998/1/1
Y1 - 1998/1/1
N2 - This article argues that constitutionalism is a 'disease' that afflicts Thailand's body politic, reflecting intense contestation among rival elite power-holders. The recent debates concerning political reform in Thailand (which culminated in the promulgation of the 1997 constitution) illustrate this contestation vividly. The vague, positive-sounding term 'political reform' actually means many different things to different people: it is a highly contested concept which has been used to legitimate a variety of political agendas, ranging from progressive ideas, to deeply conservative and even anti-democratic sentiments. The resulting constitution is an excessively long and deeply unsatisfactory document. Nevertheless, it may contain certain details that offer opportunities for the future opening-up of greater political space.
AB - This article argues that constitutionalism is a 'disease' that afflicts Thailand's body politic, reflecting intense contestation among rival elite power-holders. The recent debates concerning political reform in Thailand (which culminated in the promulgation of the 1997 constitution) illustrate this contestation vividly. The vague, positive-sounding term 'political reform' actually means many different things to different people: it is a highly contested concept which has been used to legitimate a variety of political agendas, ranging from progressive ideas, to deeply conservative and even anti-democratic sentiments. The resulting constitution is an excessively long and deeply unsatisfactory document. Nevertheless, it may contain certain details that offer opportunities for the future opening-up of greater political space.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0032232482&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.22439/cjas.v13i1.2163
DO - 10.22439/cjas.v13i1.2163
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:0032232482
VL - 13
SP - 5
EP - 30
JO - Copenhagen Journal of Asian Studies
JF - Copenhagen Journal of Asian Studies
SN - 1395-4199
ER -
ID: 244540861