The Philippines - people power

The Philippines is the most educated Asian country with a literacy rate of higher than 93%, yet they are often described as the basket case of Asia. The reason is bad governance. Yet an interesting fact that I just discovered – the Filipinos have led the way to reform in Asia through people power. In the summer of 1986 the Filipinos took to the street with the support of Cardinal Sin to overthrow the 20 year corrupt dictatorship that had prevented them from moving forward as a country. The dictatorships military force was 140,000 while the people rally started with just 300 people.

This defiant move by the people opened the floodgates for all of Asia. Since then Indonesia, Pakistan, and Nepal have seen regime changes as a result of successful people power. China on the other hand brutally suppressed people power in the Tiananmen Square massacre.

Now there are many people in the Philippines who believe that the only way to move forward is to come back under a dictatorship (even if for just a few years). I don’t know too much about the Pilipino situation, but there are a few Asian countries where I believe a dictatorship is essential.

While I would love to see freedom and democracy in China, that nation is not ready for it. If the government takes there hand off the people completely in one go, China would explode. Look at Iraq.

Just thinking out loud.