The Key West Citizen

Democracy In Asia

With democratic governments in Asia coming under attack from within, and in the case of Pakistan, Burma and Indonesia actually falling, some recent comments of Prime Minister Bandaranaike of Ceylon are noteworthy. Far from despairing, he believes parliamentary institutions have a real future in Asia. But he does suggest that the British and American systems of two-party government may not be applicable in his part of the world. As an example he cites Ceylon, whose seven parties make a clean-cut mandate almost impossible. For if the government is existing on the strength of a party which has a mere plurality, it will be subject to frequent challenge and overturn. This has occurred red even in European democracies, notably the Fourth Republic of France.

Bandaranaike believes that Asian countries, with their many political parties, could best use the system of the Swiss. There the government is based not on the temporary dominance of one party, but on the will of the whole parliament. If the government is defeated on a proposal, it is not forced to resign or go to the electorate: it need only ask the parliament for new instructions. In this way the strain of frequent government collapses is avoided.

Whether or not the Swiss system is the answer, in general Bandaranaike's views are sound. Democratic institutions and practices in Asia need shoring up.