Challenges of Ethnic Party Adaptation in Power-Sharing Systems: Evidence from Malaysia
In authoritarian systems, ethnic power-sharing arrangements include important ethnic groups in government and decision-making while putting restraints on political competition. However, under conditions of democratization, we might expect power-sharing arrangements to fragment as political parties s...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SAGE Publishing
2024-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/18681034231219460 |
| _version_ | 1797216141512278016 |
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| author | Sebastian Dettman |
| author_facet | Sebastian Dettman |
| author_sort | Sebastian Dettman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In authoritarian systems, ethnic power-sharing arrangements include important ethnic groups in government and decision-making while putting restraints on political competition. However, under conditions of democratization, we might expect power-sharing arrangements to fragment as political parties seize opportunities to expand their base and appeal across ethnic lines. This article draws from the case of Malaysia, where multiethnic coalitions built around ethnic parties ruled for 61 years but where increasing electoral competitiveness has destabilized coalition politics. I focus on the Democratic Action Party (DAP), one of the country's most successful parties, which has sought to build a more multiethnic support base. I show that its attempts have been stymied by enduring norms of ethnically informed coalition building and efforts to protect existing ethnic bases by both rivals and allies. The findings shed light on the barriers to ethnic party adaptation and on why power-sharing practices remain so enduring, even in more fluid and democratic political environments. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T11:41:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0c6d81958f4743499d0235b43a3f7674 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1868-1034 1868-4882 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T11:41:15Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs |
| spelling | doaj.art-0c6d81958f4743499d0235b43a3f76742024-04-10T01:03:52ZengSAGE PublishingJournal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs1868-10341868-48822024-04-014310.1177/18681034231219460Challenges of Ethnic Party Adaptation in Power-Sharing Systems: Evidence from MalaysiaSebastian DettmanIn authoritarian systems, ethnic power-sharing arrangements include important ethnic groups in government and decision-making while putting restraints on political competition. However, under conditions of democratization, we might expect power-sharing arrangements to fragment as political parties seize opportunities to expand their base and appeal across ethnic lines. This article draws from the case of Malaysia, where multiethnic coalitions built around ethnic parties ruled for 61 years but where increasing electoral competitiveness has destabilized coalition politics. I focus on the Democratic Action Party (DAP), one of the country's most successful parties, which has sought to build a more multiethnic support base. I show that its attempts have been stymied by enduring norms of ethnically informed coalition building and efforts to protect existing ethnic bases by both rivals and allies. The findings shed light on the barriers to ethnic party adaptation and on why power-sharing practices remain so enduring, even in more fluid and democratic political environments.https://doi.org/10.1177/18681034231219460 |
| spellingShingle | Sebastian Dettman Challenges of Ethnic Party Adaptation in Power-Sharing Systems: Evidence from Malaysia Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs |
| title | Challenges of Ethnic Party Adaptation in Power-Sharing Systems: Evidence from Malaysia |
| title_full | Challenges of Ethnic Party Adaptation in Power-Sharing Systems: Evidence from Malaysia |
| title_fullStr | Challenges of Ethnic Party Adaptation in Power-Sharing Systems: Evidence from Malaysia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Challenges of Ethnic Party Adaptation in Power-Sharing Systems: Evidence from Malaysia |
| title_short | Challenges of Ethnic Party Adaptation in Power-Sharing Systems: Evidence from Malaysia |
| title_sort | challenges of ethnic party adaptation in power sharing systems evidence from malaysia |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/18681034231219460 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sebastiandettman challengesofethnicpartyadaptationinpowersharingsystemsevidencefrommalaysia |