The Dynamics of the Political Parties in Asia

This book presents the research findings, with the object of providing comparative information on party practices in order to aid party reform efforts. The party strategies and practices described in this study emerged from a review of party documents and discussions with party representatives and the accounts of party reform initiatives, therefore, largely reflect the parties perspectives. Efforts to define political corruption usually begin by identifying a normative standard for political behavior and then determining what conduct deviates from this standard. In a democracy, politicians are representatives of the public and in theory act as agents of their constituents. In practice, of course the relationships among elected officials and their constituents are more complex. Politicians seeking elective office must obtain the nominations of their parties, conduct a campaign and accommodate sometimes conflicting interests in order to serve as representatives of the people. Bargaining negotiating compromising and increasingly fundraising are activities that generate suspicion and mistrust of politicians but they are essential aspects of a politician’s craft.