Philippines: People Power and Defective Elite Democracy

Abstract

Despite the 30 years of democratic politics following the People's Power Revolution in 1986, the political system of the Philippines remains a highly defective democracy. There are regular and strongly contested elections, and parties are free to organize and campaign for votes. There is a vibrant civil society, a pluralist media, and decentralization reforms that have brought the government closer to the people. However, human rights violations are widespread and have further increased in recent years. Nevertheless, the relevant political elites and social actors seem to accept the democratic institutions as the only game in town. Even the military, despite not being completely under civilian control, seems to have made its peace with democracy. Yet two caveats are in order: First, many of the major political players, including current President Duterte, have an electoralist rather than liberal understanding of what constitutes democracy. Secondly, elite support for democracy appears to be rooted, at least to some extent, in the fact that the post-Marcos democratic order has been essential for the preservation of elite control over the political process and its outcomes. This chapter provides a systematic overview of the political actors, institutions, and dynamics of the Philippine political system and summarizes its history and recent developments.