What is democratic space and why is it important for democratic governance? Why is it fragile in the Asia-Pacific region? This paper examines the factors that affect the capacity of democratic space to give poor and marginalised groups meaningful opportunities to exercise their human rights. It shows that democracy in many Asia-Pacific countries consists mainly of formal democratic institutions rather than substantive democratic processes, values and relationships. This leaves democratic space prone both to manipulation and to closure by powerful individuals and groups.
Across the Asia-Pacific region, more people now have opportunities to democratically elect their leaders. However, the extent to which these leaders actually act on behalf of citizens is questionable and meaningful participation in political life amongst the majority of citizens appears to be declining in a number of countries. This is manifesting itself in different ways, including attacks on journalists, censorship of traditional and digital media, arrests of human rights defenders and incidents of political violence and religious extremism.
Democratic space is a useful concept that helps to facilitate analysis and understanding of these trends. The term refers to the arena that exists between the state and the individual in which people interact to hold the state accountable, shape public debate, participate in politics and express their needs and opinions. It can only be deemed to be democratic when it is underpinned by the values of liberal democracy such as individual autonomy, political freedom, representative leadership, accountable governance and respect for human rights.
In many Asia-Pacific countries, democratic space appears to be shrinking and fragile. The main reason for this is that it has never been deeply institutionalised or meaningful for poor and marginalised groups:
- Democratic transition failed to shift the political settlement of power relations and incentive structures that underpin society.
- State structures continue to be dominated by elite groups, and democratic institutions have been rendered meaningless or else manipulated to serve elite interests.
- The democratic space supported by these institutions is either malign or vulnerable, subject to closure by political leaders when it threatens to undermine their power.
- Poor and marginalised communities have few opportunities to influence the behaviour of the state, and members of government have few incentives to listen and respond.
- International dynamics such as economic globalisation and the global war on terror are interacting with regional and national trends to affect democratic space.
In order to improve assistance to strengthening democracy in the Asia-Pacific region, significant shifts in the approach of development practitioners are required. The concept of democratic space could help to address important issues. To make progress in this area:
- The particular strengths and weaknesses of democratic space need to be mapped out on a country-specific basis.
- Work with formal democratic institutions should exploit opportunities within existing structures that help shift incentives over time and change the balance of power between different groups in society.
- Efforts to strengthen civil society, civic participation and communication need to be better coordinated.
- Media and communications work should harness the opportunities of digital technologies and be alert to how political settlements are exploiting them.
- Interventions that may help to give excluded and marginalised groups more bargaining power are important. Tax reform and public service provision are fruitful areas for enhancing accountability relations.
