「亞洲式民主」為許多政治學者及大部分的亞洲領袖所推崇。他們相信，因為「 亞洲式民主」標榜許多與群體價值優先相關的價值，使得一些亞洲國家免於面對西方所面臨 的諸多困境。他們同時堅信，人民內心深處渴望的是經濟生活面的滿足，民主與否則非重要 問題。 然而，本研究的基本論點認為，「亞洲式民主」事實上是不民主，也因為它不民主，所以它 即具有不穩定的本質。當支持「亞洲式民主」政體合法性的經濟發展消失時，尤其又必須面 對政治領導繼承問題時，以上所稱的不穩定的本質往往就會轉變為政治危機。本研究即以透 過對印尼一九九八年政權轉移的觀察，來檢視「亞洲式民主」的不穩定本質與政治危機間的 關係。

　　　　　"Asian Democracy" -- which stresses conformity and communal loyalties over pluralism and individualism -- has been upheld by most of the leaders of Asian countries. They argued that "Asian Democracy" is a foundation of a strong-and-stable state and that a strong-and-stable state is a prerequisite for rapid economic development (which is highly desired by people in devloping countries). This paper, however, argues that "Asian Democracy" is inherently unstable due to its "non-democratic' traits (e.g.,personal rule, electoralism, etc.). Asian democratic systems, therefore, largely depend on economic performance legitimacy. In such a system, once economic performance stalls, a legitimacy crisis follows. This paper examines the dynamics between the spirit of "Asian Democracy" and the fall of Suharto to exemplify the inherent instability of the "Asian democracy" theory.