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Bowed, bent, & broken: Duterte's assaults on civil society in the Philippines
[journal article]
Abstract The Philippines has historically been known to have one of the most robust and politically active civil societies in the world. With a deep affinity with democracy, civil society became a reliable bulwark against abuses of power and endemic corruption. However, it came under attack under the populis... view more
The Philippines has historically been known to have one of the most robust and politically active civil societies in the world. With a deep affinity with democracy, civil society became a reliable bulwark against abuses of power and endemic corruption. However, it came under attack under the populist, illiberal Duterte administration (2016-2022) through intimidation, persecution, massive disinformation, and even outright violence. This article examines why Philippine civil society - despite its attempted pushback against democratic erosion - was generally neutralized by Duterte. Apart from its weakened state given polarizing elite conflicts in the 2000s, Duterte engaged in executive assaults against civil society through the four strategies of exploiting divisions within civil society; securitizing public; regulating civic space to weed out opposition voices; and controlling the media environment. This article concludes by examining the implications of a weakened civil society and prospects for its reinvigoration under a restored Marcos dynasty, which won the 2022 Philippine presidential elections.... view less
Keywords
Philippines; authoritarian system; opposition; civil society; repression; political development; Southeast Asia
Classification
Political Process, Elections, Political Sociology, Political Culture
Free Keywords
Duterte; Kommunikations- und Medienkontrolle; Verhältnis Gesellschaft - Staat
Document language
English
Publication Year
2023
Page/Pages
p. 328-349
Journal
Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, 42 (2023) 3
ISSN
1868-4882
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed