National Ideologies and Politics in Southeast Asia

Report Outline

•I. What is national ideology?•II. Overview of National Ideologies in SEA

•III. National Ideology and Politics of Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Singapore

•IV. Comparison

National Ideology

OVERVIEW OF NATIONAL IDEOLOGIES AND POLTICS IN

SOUTHEAST ASIA

•Unquestionably, the most important ideological force in Southeast Asia today is nationalism.

•Communism provides the theoretical foundation of the North Vietnamese political system and is an ideological force in all other countries.

•Democracy was an integral element in the pre-independence nationalist revolt against colonialism but as an ideology is probably less significant in Southeast Asia now than at any time in the last quarte-century.

•Religion plays a dominant role in shaping the nationalist ideologies of Southeast Asian states.

•Islam as an integral part of Indonesian politics

•Buddhism in Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos

•The ideas of Southeast Asian leaders also play a significant role in the politics of the region.