FEATURES OF DEMOCRATIC TRANSITION IN POST-COLONIAL COUNTRIES OF ASIA

Abstract

The article is devoted to a comprehensive comparative analysis of the governance models of Taiwan and Bangladesh through the prism of the Democracy Index by The Economist Intelligence Unit and the World Governance Indicators (WGI). The research reveals the historical background of the formation of the political systems of both countries, determines their path from authoritarian regimes to democratic structures. Both countries have a common authoritarian past and have gone through difficult periods before democratization, but their growth paths have certain differences. The methodological basis of the study is the quantitative indicators of the Democracy Index for the period 2006–2023 and the World Governance Indicators for the period 2013–2023. The dynamics of the five “sub-indices” of the Democracy Index are analyzed: electoral pluralism, government functioning, political participation, political culture and civil liberties. Particular attention is paid to the evolution of six key indicators of the quality of governance: voice and accountability, political stability, governance effectiveness, regulatory quality, rule of law and control of corruption. The results of the study show significant differences in the evolution of democracy between Taiwan and Bangladesh. Taiwan illustrates a stable democracy with high indicators of electoral pluralism and civil liberties, while Bangladesh has long remained a country in transition. It also shows consistently high indicators of democratic institutions, good governance, and a developed political climate. Bangladesh is in a transitional regime with pronounced authoritarian tendencies, characterized by limited civil liberties, political instability, and poor quality of public administration. A comparison of these two countries allows us to identify the key factors that facilitate or impede the evolution of democracy in different circumstances. The scientific novelty of the research is a comprehensive comparative analysis of democratic changes in Taiwan and Bangladesh based on modern quantitative methods of assessing public administration. The practical significance of the work lies in the possibility of using the results to understand the transformation processes in developing democratic systems and to predict further trends in institutional development.