Cambodia Return to Authoritarianism Elements in Politics and Society in Southeast Asia Series

Drawing data from multiple sources, Un argues that following the 1993 United Nations intervention to promote democracy, the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) perpetuated a patronage state weak in administrative capacity but strong in coercive capacity. This enabled them to maintain the presence of electoral authoritarianism, but increased political awareness among the public, the rise in political activism among community-based organizations and a united opposition led to the emergence of a counter-movement. Sensing that this counter-movement might be unstoppable, the CPP has returned Cambodia to authoritarianism, a move made possible in part by China's pivot to Cambodia.

1. Introduction; 2. Patronage, power and the state; 3. Patronage, resource mobilization and aid dependency; 4. Parties, elections, and civil society under electoral authoritarianism; 5. The rise of countermovement to electoral authoritarianism; 6. The return to authoritarianism; 7. Conclusion – will the pendulum swing?