The Malaise of Globalization in East Asia : Income Inequality, Perceived State Capacity, and Anti-Establishment Attitudes

Abstract

This paper examines how inequality produced by globalization undermines the confidence of citizens that the government can resolve their problems, incubating growing anti-establishment sentiment. Applying the latest data from Asian Barometer Survey (ABS), the authors found that anti-establishment attitudes can be best explained by citizens' perceptions of a lack of state capacity and the state's persistently weak political performance. Analysis using multilevel modeling suggests that income inequality and weak economic growth further aggravate anti-establishment tendencies. This phenomenon, however, is most apparent in the countries of East Asia. Countries in Southeast Asia are generally less affected because they continue to enjoy rapid economic growth due to latecomer advantage in the global economy.