Strengthening Constitutionalism in Asia

Issue Date October 2017
Volume 28
Issue 4
Page Numbers 147-161
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Much has been written about the retreat of liberal democracy. In Asia, a region where the notion of illiberal democracy has long been advocated, illiberalism and populism have spawned numerous constitutional crises. Drawing on experience from countries across Asia, this article stresses seven principles as a roadmap to establishing and maintaining a liberal constitutional democracy. These cover all stages of the process, from early mobilization and constitution-making to full implementation and consolidation, and they address issues of institutional autonomy, popular engagement, and ethnic and regional inclusion. Efforts at democratization in Asia have too often given insufficient attention to constitutional fundamentals and popular inclusion as critical ingredients on the path to establishing and maintaining stable democracies.

About the Author

Michael C. Davis was professor of law at the University of Hong Kong until 2016. He is currently a Global Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Senior Research Associate at the Weatherhead East Asia Institute of Columbia University, and professor of law and international affairs at Jindal Global University. He is the author of Making Hong Kong China: The Rollback of Human Rights and the Rule of Law (2020).

View all work by Michael C. Davis