Abstract: In 1973, a student-led uprising in Bangkok toppled an American-backed military dictatorship. About two decades after this turning point in modern Thai history, Benedict Anderson considered the post-uprising evolution of democratic government in a famous article, “Murder and Progress in Modern Siam.” The increasing number of assassinations of candidates for political office was a sign of progress, Anderson argued, because it proved that holding an elected office had become a valuable prize. Nearly a half-century later, there are more benign signs of progress, for example, the adoption of a liberal constitution in 1997 and laws protecting the environment, women, communities, and human rights. Western observers may attribute particular importance to the increasing visibility of lawyers committed to bringing these rights into play.
Publication Year: 2011
Publication Date: 2011-02-21
Language: en
Type: book-chapter
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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