Democracy Without Consensus: Communalism and Political Stability in Malaysia

Since World War II the democratic systems adopted by states emerging from colonial rule have in some cases been abandoned and in others suspended or transformed. Two questions arise: Can democracy succeed in newly independent states dominated by communal cleavages? If so, what adjustments are necessary in Western models of democracy? Karl von Vorys contributes new answers by examining the political development of Malaysia, a country which has experimented with changes in the democratic model. He surveys the conditions under which democracy was established in Malaysia, considering the compromises made with communal groups. Particular attention is paid to the reconstruction of the political system after the race riots of May 1969, which the author observed at first hand. Originally published in 1975. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905. See more