It's the rise of the middle class. And it's also a result in the increased globalization of communication and travel. One sign of the trend can be seen in the heavy electoral calendar of the next 12 months. South Koreans go to the polls Thursday for their third free presidential election since 1987. Hong Kong will elect its first legislature under Chinese rule, which, despite complaints about the fairness of the rules and the size of the voting franchise, will make the territory the most democratic part of China.
Asian people are human beings. . . .
Democracy is something everybody would like to have. Everybody would like more freedom. And India, with its endemic poverty and violence, often still is seen as a negative example showing that democracy does not guarantee economic development and stability. Nevertheless, academics, journalists, diplomats and others point to a number of trends that they say shows democracy is becoming more entrenched. But analysts in Jakarta say they see a trend toward a more professional, less politicized, military.