The nature of dual authority in Southeast Asia.

Abstract

Many of the nations of Southeast Asia that are moving towards greater democracy have to deal with the phenomenon of dual authority. Dual authority is the recognition by the people that there is a political institution that commands respect and obedience in addition to the government. In the monarchist nations of Thailand and Kampuchea, this dual authority is vested in state and government. In the Socialist countries of Vietnam and Laos, it is vested in party and government. In some other states the extra governmental authority takes the form of a religious institution. Dual authority has the disadvantage of impeding political and economic development in many cases. However, it has the advantage of providing a structure that provides a check on excessive government power and that the people can appeal to during times of political crises. In this paper, I will examine the phenomenon of dual authority in Southeast Asia in general. Then I will turn my attention to specific studies of how this phenomenon is affecting the politics of Vietnam. I will argue that the party provides a viable and just check on unbridled development and consumerism there that would not be the case if authority were left to government alone. In concluding remarks, I will assess the relationship between party and government and evaluate future possibilities.