Democratic Culture and Thai Societal Development

Abstract

Democracy (democracy—δημοκρατία) is both a political regime and a form of governance whose development spans several millennia. Temporal and spatial conditions profoundly shape the meanings attributed to, as well as the values associated with, what is called “democracy.” In this sense, democracy is not a ready-made pattern that can be transplanted wholesale into any context. Rather, it must be understood through its historical development. For example, ancient Greek democracy and post–Second World War democracy differ markedly in form, interpretation, and normative valuation. Ancient Greek democracy typically emphasized direct participation, restricted to male citizens, whereas post–Second World War democracy has been designed around indirect participation and the principle of equal rights for all genders. Spatial conditions are therefore crucial in co-constructing both the form and the substance of democracy. It may be argued that democracy is a constellation of ideas tempered by successive historical trials—through the collapse of empires, political revolutions, and its emergence as a widely accepted system of governance in the post–Cold War era, among other transformations.