The Tension Between State Capacity and the Order of Democratisation: A Comparative Study of Political Transition in East Asia and Latin America

Research Article
Open access

The Tension Between State Capacity and the Order of Democratisation: A Comparative Study of Political Transition in East Asia and Latin America

Zhanrui Liu 1*
  • 1 Wuhan University    
  • *corresponding author 3329923007@qq.com
Published on 20 June 2025 | https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7048/2025.24111
LNEP Vol.102
ISSN (Print): 2753-7056
ISSN (Online): 2753-7048
ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-207-2
ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-208-9

Abstract

This study focuses on East Asia and Latin America, conducting an in-depth analysis of the intrinsic relationship between state capacity, the sequence of democratisation, and economic development. The findings reveal that East Asian countries have achieved rapid economic growth through strong state intervention capabilities, scientific economic planning, and targeted industrial policies. In contrast, Latin American countries have been plagued by political instability, institutional fragility, and challenges in social governance, resulting in weak state capacity and fluctuating economic development. In terms of democratisation, East Asian countries adopted a 'development first, democracy later' model, successfully laying the economic foundation for democratic transition. In contrast, Latin American countries' early democratic experiments were hindered by institutional deficiencies, and later democratisation efforts brought new economic challenges. There exists a complex tension between state capacity and the sequence of democratisation. East Asian countries achieved a smooth transition through coordination mechanisms, while Latin American countries fell into a vicious cycle of political and economic instability.

Keywords:

state capacity, order of democratisation, political transformation, economic development

Liu,Z. (2025). The Tension Between State Capacity and the Order of Democratisation: A Comparative Study of Political Transition in East Asia and Latin America. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,102,12-17.
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References

[1]. Iman Dawood. (2025). Exclusion-politicization: Salafism, democracy, and counterpublic politics in the UK. Democratization, 32 (3), 684-705.

[2]. Bhawna Pokharna & Sarika Dubey. (2025). Editorial: Peace, democracy and liberal international order. Frontiers in Political Science, 7, 1559444-1559444.

[3]. Zhan Shengchen & Xie Yue. (2025). Foundation of the Political Resilience in China: A Perspective of State Capacity. Journal of Contemporary China, 34 (152), 295-311.

[4]. Radek Buben & Karel Kouba. (2024). Democracy and Institutional Change in Times of Crises in Latin America. Journal of Politics in Latin America, 16 (1), 90-109.

[5]. Chitadze, N., & Cheishvili, N. (2019). Political and Economic Consequences of the U.S. Policy in Latin America. Journal in Humanities, 7(1), 13–25.

Cite this article

Liu,Z. (2025). The Tension Between State Capacity and the Order of Democratisation: A Comparative Study of Political Transition in East Asia and Latin America. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,102,12-17.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

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About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Global Politics and Socio-Humanities

ISBN：978-1-80590-207-2(Print) / 978-1-80590-208-9(Online)
Editor：Enrique Mallen
Conference website: https://2025.icgpsh.org/
Conference date: 25 July 2025
Series: Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media
Volume number: Vol.102
ISSN：2753-7048(Print) / 2753-7056(Online)

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References

[1]. Iman Dawood. (2025). Exclusion-politicization: Salafism, democracy, and counterpublic politics in the UK. Democratization, 32 (3), 684-705.

[2]. Bhawna Pokharna & Sarika Dubey. (2025). Editorial: Peace, democracy and liberal international order. Frontiers in Political Science, 7, 1559444-1559444.

[3]. Zhan Shengchen & Xie Yue. (2025). Foundation of the Political Resilience in China: A Perspective of State Capacity. Journal of Contemporary China, 34 (152), 295-311.

[4]. Radek Buben & Karel Kouba. (2024). Democracy and Institutional Change in Times of Crises in Latin America. Journal of Politics in Latin America, 16 (1), 90-109.

[5]. Chitadze, N., & Cheishvili, N. (2019). Political and Economic Consequences of the U.S. Policy in Latin America. Journal in Humanities, 7(1), 13–25.

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