Sascha Helbardt, R├╝diger Korff and Dagmar Hellmann-Rajanyagam from the University of Passau have written a fascinating paper on authoritarianism in Thailand. It is available online, in draft form, for the interest and comments of New Mandala readers. Based on surveys in Yala and Narathiwat provinces they crunch some particularly instructive numbers.

And their conclusion?

Simply, those who do not share an authoritarian orientation are very few. We have shades of authoritarian orientations rather than different orientations altogether. However, the prevalence of an authoritarian orientation does not endorse the currently popular view among those who put forth semi-authoritarianism: that the people are not yet ready for democracy.

To read the full version click here.