Board #38 - Legitimacy and Democratic Trajectories in East Asia: Taiwan and Singapore’s Divergent Political Paths

• In Event: 75-309 - Poster Session: How Do Authoritarian Governments Use Political Institutions to Retain Power?

Brief Overview

This study compares Taiwan and Singapore to challenge universalist assumptions about democracy, showing how state-led modernization shapes legitimacy. Taiwan democratized via civic participation; Singapore maintained rule via performance and order.

Author

• Emma Schwarz, Xavier University