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Will the Internet and other media give authoritarian regimes no room to hide or can they be controlled or even used to prevent democratic change?
The position of this essay is the internet is not the explanatory of democratisation it can only act as a catalyst for change from without. It is my contention that the PAP strong hold over the media will not prevent democratic change. Additionally that the economic strength and cause for the wealth generation would have a greater opportunity to force democratic change which is the FDI and MNC. The Singaporean people are more inclined to leave the city-state then fight for its social democracy.
Granted the Singapore government is most authoritarian with regards to the flow of information and the desire to control monitor and censor what it deems to be appropriate or in the best interest of the political system. However there are glimmering shines of aesthetic democracy.
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The Internet is a technological tool, for the free flow of information, which can be a vicarious explanatory of democratisation however, and has not the capacity to insight democratisation as such having no power as an entity of its own. The Internet is a medium that has surpassed other information methods the depth and breadth of this body can penetrate barriers that could not of been over come by the telephone, television and or newspapers.
Authoritarian regimes
Authoritarianism is described by Potter (17) to be a mixed political regime whereby state leaders direct and regulate society without any accountability to the citizens. Furthermore, the citizens are denied the right to criticise those in power without fear of reprisal. Civil society is repressed and controlled, the use of intimidation and secrecy are common attributes of state affairs.
There are several approaches to the theory of democratisation and where each states the interrelated factors, which explain why democratisation occurred. The explanatory factors, which precedes democratisation is a condition, structure or process is either associated with or causes democratisation (Potter, 17). It is argued that democracy comes about as a result of economic development. Social divisions state and political institutions, civil society, political culture / ideas and transnational and international engagements including war (Potter, 17).
Partial Democracy
Partial democracy is defined as a political regime authoritarian in nature however, possessing elements of a democracy. The accountability of the government to its citizens is limited. The military or non-elected establishments restricts the effects of elections thus compromise the integrity of the elected government (Potter, 17). Within partial democracies elections are held in appearance only the results are predetermined. The rights to freedoms of expression and access to information are all monitored or restricted. Independent organisations are allowed to former that criticise the government however are closely monitored by the state.
As in the case of Singapore where elections are held the PAP uses strategic propaganda against its opposition with the utilisation of the government owned and controlled domestic media (Rodan,16). The PAP using intimidation is been the unsavoury practise of taking opponents to court to serve as an example as to what happens should you oppose the PAP. The Singaporean constitution allows for the freedom of speech and expression however, allows for officials to place restrictions on theses rights. There is the atmosphere of hostility pervades the air of intimidation and fear have cornered many journalist into self-censorship ( Rodan,16,). Perhaps the most staggering evidence of the degree of control the government has over the media.
Singapore
Singapore’s media in the late 50s through the 160s was free from government interference. There once was a wide range of newspaper which were at liberty to critic government policies without fear of reprisals .
The PAP in 15 began the conolidation of a tightly controlled
- Government monopoly by the peoples action party
- Potter classifies Singapore as a partial Democracy …
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In the Mid - 160s Singapore adopted an export led industrialisation which laid the foundation for the city- states accelerated economic growth. Singapore has proved to pursued a more neo-classical approach as Little (18) observed in the 160s that the NIEs (Taiwan, Korea and Singapore) made policy changes which were a combination of selective protection, labour intensive and export oriented policies which lead to growth of exports to phenomenal proportion. The economic success in Singapore has created an expansive middle class and growing working class (Rodan,16). The Social structural shift is barriers are eroded to large-scale class mobility (Rodan, 16). With its newly diversified population have given rise to new social forces.
External factors such as market conditions and geopolitical constellations have contributed greatly to Singapore’s success. The outward orientation in terms of trade and FDI has made Singapore very attractive to multinational corporations (MNC). Singapore has been able to attract over ,000 MNC whereby over 70 % of exports originate from foreign owned firms (Chuang, 15). While excelling in attracting multinational corporations the Singapore economy is dependant on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). This is highlighted by the fact that Singapore has an unusually low rate of Total Factor Productivity (TFP), which has economist have now questioned the ability of Singapore to sustain its economic growth (Pack and Page, 1). The primary source of growth for Singapore from 165 to 184 has been capital input as the main contributor aided by labour inputs however total factor productivity had insignificant effect (Castells,17). The capital inflow was massive inflow from two key sources foreign direct investment, which accounted for between 10 and 0 % of GDP in the 70s and from gross national savings, which accounted for a staggering 4 per cent of the GDP in the 80s(Castells, 17).
A main concern of investors especially in Asia is the level of corruption. Singapore has long enjoyed the reputation of being a virtually corruption free country (Kaar, 15). This has been largely due to a two pronged approach civil servants are equivalently compensated to match there private sector counterparts additionally, the wage spread increases as one moves up the economic quartile (Bellows, 1, Sim, 15). As it might be expected under an authoritarian regime corruption is heavily policed (Sim, 15).
Social policies enacted by the (PAP) have helped increase the parties appeal especially in public housing were 85 % of the population own there own homes.
Structure
State Society
Singapore media
Within Singapore constitution citizens are given freedoms however those freedoms are controlled. Media freedoms are constrained, monitored and even censored. The Internet with over users world wides is the biggest and most effective and fiscally prudent information carrier. The Singapore government has a strong hold on the Internet acting as a censoring gatekeeper. This is accomplished by virtue of the fact the Singapore government contracts the ISP therefore; activities over the Internet can be monitored and accessed by the Government.
The International media are cautious in reporting on local affairs or the consequences of such a breach could be costly legal cases or circulation limits placed in order to fiscally constrained. The use of fear and intimidation for fear of defamation libel or even contempt of court cases demonstrates to what extreme lengths the Government will scribe to protect the political hold.
Internet
Democratisation according to Potter (17)
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