Democracy in Asia

Democracy has not fared well in Asia, through history or in recent times. Today, most Asians live under communist governments, military regimes or virtual one-party states. But Asia also includes two big, long-established democracies: India and Japan. And with the fall of Indonesia's autocratic longtime president, Suharto, the world's fourth most populous country could be joining the ranks of democratic nations. But the country's new president, B.J. Habibie, faces a dire economic crisis, and some reformers doubt his commitment to political change. In addition, some Asians continue to debate whether democracy conflicts with Asian values, and U.S. policy-makers are often at odds with interest groups on how best to promote democracy in Asia.