ASIA’S POLITICAL SYSTEM

What is Political System?

The set of formal legal institutions that constitute a “government” or a “state.” This is the
definition adopted by many studies of the legal or constitutional arrangements of advanced
political orders. More broadly defined, however, the term comprehends actual as well as
prescribed forms of political behavior, not only the legal organization of the state but also the
reality of how the state functions. Still more broadly defined, the political system is seen as a set
of “processes of interaction” or as a subsystem of the social system interacting with other
nonpolitical subsystems, such as the economic system. This points to the importance of informal
sociopolitical processes and emphasizes the study of political development.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF POLITICAL SYSTEM IN ASIA

DEMOCRACY
Democracy is a form of government in which all eligible citizens have an equal
say in the decisions that affect their lives. Democracy allows people to participate equally—
either directly or through elected representatives—in the proposal, development, and creation of
laws. It encompasses social, economic, and cultural conditions that enable the free and equal
practice of political self-determination.

Types of democracy
 Direct democracy
In a direct democracy, such as ancient Athens, all citizens (only adult males who had
completed their military training; women, slaves and plebs were not citizens) are invited to
participate in all political decisions. This form of democracy is no longer practiced. In this form
of democracy citizens are continuously involved in the exercise of power and decision is by
majority rule.
 Liberal democracy
Liberal democracy is generally understood to be a system of government in which people
consent to their rulers, and rulers, in turn, are constitutionally constrained to respect individual
rights. However, widely divergent views exist regarding the meaning of consent and individual
rights, of the particular forms of government that are best suited to the preservation of popular
rule and the protection of rights, and of the types and effectiveness of constitutional constraints
within particular forms of government.
  Representative/ Indirect democracy
In a representative democracy, representatives are elected by the people and
entrusted to carry out the business of governance. Australia is a representative
democracy.

 Constitutional democracy
In a constitutional democracy a constitution outlines who will represent the
people and how. Australia is also a constitutional democracy.
Monarchy
Monarchy, political system based upon the undivided sovereignty or rule of a single person.
The term applies to states in which supreme authority is vested in the monarch, an individual
ruler who functions as the head of state and who achieves his or her position through heredity.
Most monarchies allow only male succession, usually from father to son.
Types of Monarchy
 Constitutional monarchy
This system of government in which a monarch (see monarchy) shares power
with a constitutionally organized government. The monarch may be the de facto head of
state or a purely ceremonial leader. The constitution allocates the rest of the
government’s power to the legislature and judiciary.

 Absolute monarchy
Government with a sovereign leader who came into power by marriage or
offspring; they had complete control with no limitations from constitution or law. They
were considered the head of state and head of Government
Republic
In a republic government system, the power also rests with the people, as they are in charge
of electing or choosing the country’s leader, instead of the leader being appointed or inheriting
power. Broadly defined, a republic is a government system without a monarch. A republic may
be governed by a group of nobles, as long as there is not a single monarch.
Types of Republics
 Federal
In federal systems, political authority is divided between two autonomous sets of
governments, one national and the other subnational, both of which operate directly upon
the people. Usually, a constitutional division of power is established between the national
 government, which exercises authority over the whole national territory, and provincial
governments that exercise independent authority within their own territories.

Oligarchy
Oligarchy, government by the few, especially despotic power exercised by a small and
privileged group for corrupt or selfish purposes. Oligarchies in which members of the ruling
group are wealthy or exercise their power through their wealth are known as plutocracies.
Communism
A communist government system is usually based on a particular ideology of
communism taught by Karl Marx or Vladimir Lenin. A single party or group of people usually
runs communist states. In some cases, citizens of a communist state are given certain jobs or life
duties in an effort to obtain collective citizenship for the state.

Dictatorship
Dictatorship, form of government in which one person or a small group possesses absolute
power without effective constitutional limitations. In a dictatorship, a single person, a dictator,
has absolute power over the state. It is not necessarily ruled by a theology or belief. It is an
authoritarian form of government where one person is in charge of enforcing and enacting the
law. Aspects often include military organizational backing, unfair elections (if any) and various
human rights violations. A dictator does not usually inherit their power like a monarch does; they
either seize control of the state by force or through (usually unfair) elections. Dictators are not
held accountable for their actions and thus are free to do as they please, including limiting
citizens’ rights.
Autocracy
An autocracy is a system of government in which one person—an autocrat—holds all political,
economic, social, and military power. The autocrat’s rule is unlimited and absolute and is not
subject to any legal or legislative limitation.
Theocracy
Theocracy, government by divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided.
In many theocracies, government leaders are members of the clergy, and the state’s legal system
is based on religious law.
Authoritarianism
Authoritarianism, principle of blind submission to authority, as opposed to individual freedom of
thought and action. In government, authoritarianism denotes any political system that
concentrates power in the hands of a leader or a small elite that is not constitutionally responsible
to the body of the people. Authoritarian leaders often exercise power arbitrarily and without
regard to existing bodies of law, and they usually cannot be replaced by citizens choosing freely
among various competitors in elections. The freedom to create opposition political parties or
other alternative political groupings with which to compete for power with the ruling group is
either limited or nonexistent in authoritarian regimes.

TABLE 1: COUNTRY AND ITS POLITICAL SYSTEM

COUNTRY IN ASIA POLITICAL SYSTEM
Philippines Democracy
Republic
Thailand Constitutional Monarchy
Vietnam Communism
Malaysia Republic
Federal
Myanmar Republic
Lao Communism
Indonesia Republic
Cambodia Constitutional monarchy
Timor -Leste Republic
Brunei Monarchy (sultanate)
Bangladesh Republic
Bhutan Monarchy
India Federal
Maldives Republic
Nepal Constitutional monarchy
Pakistan Republic
Federal
Sri Lanka Republic
China Communism
Japan Republic
South Korea Republic
North Korea Communist
Dictatorship
Taiwan Republic
Afghanistan Republic
Kazakhstan Republic
Kyrgyzstan Republic
Tajikistan Republic
Turkmenistan Republic
Uzbekistan Republic
 Armenia Republic
Azerbaijan Republic
Bahrain Absolute monarchy
Cyprus Republic
Georgia Republic
Iran Republic
Iraq Republic
Israel Republic
Jordan Constitutional monarchy
Kuwait Constitutional monarchy
Lebanon Republic
Oman Absolute monarchy
Qatar Absolute monarchy
Saudi Arabia Absolute monarchy
State of Palestine Republic
Yemen Republic
United Arab Emirates Constitutional monarchy
Syria Republic
Turkey Republic
Russia Federal

Which is the largest democratic country in Asia?

Taipei (AsiaNews) – Taiwan is the most democratic country in Asia, this according to the 2020
Democracy Index by the Economist Intelligence Unit, which was released this week. Taiwan is ranked
better than Japan and South Korea, and the three countries are the only “full democracies” in the
continent. Globally, Taiwan is in 11th position. The top five are Norway, Iceland, Sweden, New Zealand
and Canada. The island jumped 20 positions over 2019. The country’s rise reflects a consolidation of
positive political and legal development over the past few years, the report notes, especially thanks to
greater transparency in financing of political parties and the judiciary’s independence from government
influence. Taiwan also set new records whilst the world experienced an annus horribilis because of the
COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, the island is among the countries that have better managed the health
emergency.