Former mayor of Davao City and the sixteen president of the Philippine republic is often considered by many scholars as the face of neo-authoritarianism in the Philippines. Spectators around the world left shocked as the Philippines turned autocratic shortly after the series of liberal-democratic reforms headed by Asia’s darling of democracy, Benigno Aquino III.
Question: Is there really a new emergence of authoritarian ideals in the country? Or is this just a cycle being repeated in the course of history?
Collective Authoritarianism
Singapore lies in the heart of Southeast Asia, an island-state known for its economic prosperity. But as prosperous the economy there is, political freedom in the country is yet to mature. People Action’s Party rules the country for over 50 years without sturdy opposition. Efforts from the opposition wing were seemingly fruitful based on the result of 2011 elections, but easily diminished in 2015 when the ruling party won almost 70 percent of the vote. The country is still being ruled by an uncontested party that can be considered a collective authoritarianism. According to R.D. Ward in an article for Harvard law review, the vast majority of media outlets in the country are owned by the state and the Sedition Act suppresses contempt against the government.
Corrupt-Authoritarian rule.
Former prime minister of Malaysia, Najib Razak is infamously known for his authoritarian rule and corruption. But he is now seen getting a renewed popularity that could lead to his political comeback. Najib was rembered for sending his critics in prison and censoring critical media outlets in the country. His administration has been recognized as a reversal of Malaysia’s path toward democracy. The rise of Najib was after the bureaucratic reforms under Mahathirism rule by Mahathir Mohamad.
Brutal Authoritarian Regime.
The “New Order” of Suharto’s government brought economic progress in Indonesia. But the economic advancement was built upon shifting sand, as it was infested by corruption, collusion and nepotism. Suharto’s regime is being remembered as one of the brutal authoritarian rule in the region, student activism was banned during his time, universities are being infiltrated by the militaries and the anti corruption movement was sent to prison. Leftist students and scholars were tortured and later subjected to mass kiling. The brutal rule of Suharto made him a greatest mass murderer. Indonesia underwent a liberal democratic reforms “Reformasi” after the fall of Suharto in 1998. 24 years later, the heirs of Suharto are still significant personalities in the country. The second youngest son of Suharto is seeking public office. And the Cendana family, with close kinship ties to Suharto’s family, runs the intricate business network of the country. According to the South China Morning Post, there is a growing disillusionment in Indonesia benefiting the former dictator.
Marcosian Authoritarian Rule.
The 20 years of Ferdinand Marcos Regime was described by Alice Guillermo as a time of severe economic crisis, political oppression and unprecedented graft and corruption. Student activists considered the regime as the rise of fascist ideals in the country. Marcos wanted to extend his term in office after winning his second last term as president. He orchestrated it by declaring martial law to suppress the alleged growing sympathy for communist and Islam separatist in the country. According to the Martial Law Museum, there were only 1000 communist rebel in the country with old fashioned guns. While martial law was in effect, critics of the government were imprisoned, student activist were tortured and killed. Two years before the declaration of Martial law steps to change the constitution were taken by the Congress and during military rule the revisions were formalized and then ratified in 1973. The “New Society” a propaganda used by the Marcos regime to limit the freedom of the populace. It seeks to end the old system of society and to embrace discipline headed by a dictator.
Marcos was ousted in 1986 after the alleged fraudulent snap elections and electoral democracy was restored in the Philippines. 30 years later, strongman Rodrigo Duterte rose to power as president and threatened the institutions of democracy. Human rights were disregarded and penal populism was boosted. Critical media outlets were shut down and the culture of impunity spreads like a wildfire. Critics were imprisoned and charged with trump up cases in court. In 2022, the term of Duterte reached its limitation set by law. Thirst for continuity, the electorate chose the son of Former dictator Marcos, Ferdinand Marcos Jr as the new president of the republic. His vice president is Sara Duterte, the daughter of strongman Duterte.
Noticed a pattern? The rise of authoritarianism came after a democratic reform. And interchangeably, liberal democracy will rise after ousting a despot. This phenomenon is called sequencing by Dean David Stasavage, political economist. In every tyrant there has been a former democracy. And the future of despotism is government by the people. This has been observed in the ancient democracy of Athens, the rise of Pisistratus, a tyrant, was after the vibrant democracy of Athens. Pisistratus promised to end disorder and bring comfort. As Paul Woodruff said: troubled people often welcome strongmen to power in exchange for comfort without freedom. Similar to the old republic of Rome, as observed in History, Romans would suspend democracy and appoint a dictator when needed to protect the state from its enemies.
Let’s get back on track.
The rise of authoritarianism in the Philippines might be an understatement. It is more theoretically reasonable to say that it is a cycle. The rise of strongmen in the country is as natural as the rise of liberals in the country and globally. Interestingly, building blocks of despots are nearly similar to each other, they promised to bring order. A unique factor that has been observed in the Philippines is the instrumentation of populist movements to consolidate power to impose authoritarian rule. This has been described as a penal populism. Efforts to restore electoral democracy in 1986 and liberal reforms in 2010 succeeded by the re-emergence of autocracy. Noticeably, Duterte era started with the promise to end criminality and illegal drug trade in the country and Marcos Jr. took an oath to the people to unite the country in addressing the plague of Covid 19.
So when the dust settles, we are expecting to see the liberals taking the lead. And resuscitating the soul of democracy in the country. But not too soon.
References:
1.Suharto: 'One of the greatest mass murderers of the 20th century' | The Independent |
2. Survivors describe mass killings under Suharto - The Boston Globe
4.Suharto's Cendana Family Back in the Spotlight With Opening of New Retail Outlet (jakartaglobe.id)
5. Singapore's Stubborn Authoritarianism - Harvard Political Review (harvardpolitics.com)
7.Najib Razak: Malaysia's former PM and his downfall over alleged corruption - BBC News
8.Mahathir's reform dream fading away in Malaysia - Asia Times
9. Ex-Malaysian PM Najib poised for comeback despite 1MDB conviction | The Straits Times
10.ISEAS_Perspective_2018_46@50.pdf
11. INDONESIA: Students and the rise and fall of Suharto (universityworldnews.com)
12.The neo-authoritarian threat in the Philippines - New Mandala
13. 5 ways Duterte has become a threat to Philippine democracy (rappler.com)
14.Declaration of Martial Law | Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines
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