Markus Karbaum's "Cambodia Under Hun Sen"

Book Review
Published by The Southeastern Globe Magazine
May 2009

"[Karbaum] suggests that when Hun Sen steps down, there will be a more "democratic" government in charge."

Winston Churchill once remarked: "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time." In his analysis of Cambodia's political System, produced for Germany's Federal Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development, Markus Karbaum seems to suggest that its current government employs an autocratic mandate that is in many ways the antithesis of the liberal democracy that Churchill saw as the least of the evils of governance.

Since the early 1990s the international Community has implemented programmes to encourage the establishment of a truly democratic System in Cambodia, but the author believes the country remains mired in a climate of nepotism, fear, violence and corruption.

Cambodia Under Hun Sen is a comprehensive portrayal of the kingdom's political setup and an astute analysis of the way in which its prime minister maintains his grip on the reins of power.

Karbaum pays particular attention to the country's electoral system and examines the level of legitimacy of the most recent polls, which returned Hun Sen to power with a landslide of support.

Karbaum also studies what he believes is a recurring pattern of political violence, even though all evidence points to a vast improvement in that area over successive elections. He also analyses the country's economic development in the light of persistent charges of corruption from both inside and outside the nation's borders.

Karbaum feels he needs to question the legitimacy of the entire System of governance based on what he describes as Hun Sen's "neo-patriarchal style". Fortunately, and quite rightly, Karbaum concludes that democratic values are well established in the country. Perhaps the only real quibble he has with the democratic process is that too few schemes allow grass roots representatives to communicate issues directly to those in power — except, of course, at election time.

Although, as a political analyst, he will recognise that Cambodia's progressive foundations have been achieved by decisive decision-making amidst a dislocated and chaotic political environment.

Karbaum has to balance his criticisms with the strength of Hun Sen's support across all sections of modern society despite his "undemocratic" tactics. He suggests that when Hun Sen steps down, there will be a more "democratic" government in charge. Through this he sees the strengthening of a liberal and democratic ethos throughout the country's institutions - hopefully, allied to like economic achievements.

Given that the book is a highly coherent and unique study of a little-known political arena, an English-language version is in the pipeline.