GO 357GO 357The Political Economy of The Political Economy of

RegionalismRegionalism

Walter HatchWalter Hatch

Colby CollegeColby College

An Asian Difference?An Asian Difference?

WHY SO LITTLEWHY SO LITTLE“HARD”“HARD”

REGIONALISM? REGIONALISM?

Possible ExplanationsPossible Explanations Divergent levels of developmentDivergent levels of development Divergent PolitiesDivergent Polities Divergent CulturesDivergent Cultures NationalismNationalism

• Legacy of colonialismLegacy of colonialism Security externalities of integrationSecurity externalities of integration History hangoverHistory hangover

• Japanese imperialismJapanese imperialism US roleUS role

• Hub-and-spokes relationshipHub-and-spokes relationship NetworksNetworks

Diverse DevelopmentDiverse Development

0

1000000

2000000

3000000

4000000

5000000

GDP in Asia (2005)

Japan

$US millions

China Korea

Asia’s Per Capita Income (2005)Asia’s Per Capita Income (2005)

Note: US $Source: World Bank, “World Development Indicators, 2007”

-5,000

10,00015,00020,00025,00030,00035,00040,00045,000

Divergent PolitiesDivergent Polities

Liberal StatesLiberal States• Japan, ROK, TaiwanJapan, ROK, Taiwan

Authoritarian StatesAuthoritarian States• China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Brunei,

Burma, Vietnam, Cambodia, LaosBurma, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos Transitional StatesTransitional States

• Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, IndonesiaIndonesia

Divergent CulturesDivergent Cultures

Buddhist/ConfucianBuddhist/Confucian• Japan, ROK, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, ROK, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan,

SingaporeSingapore BuddhistBuddhist

• Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, BurmaThailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Burma IslamicIslamic

• Indonesia, Malaysia, BruneiIndonesia, Malaysia, Brunei ChristianChristian

• PhilippinesPhilippines

NationalismNationalism Relatively “young” statesRelatively “young” states

• Brunei in 1984Brunei in 1984• Vietnam unified in 1975Vietnam unified in 1975• Singapore created in 1965Singapore created in 1965

Former coloniesFormer colonies• Indonesia (Dutch)Indonesia (Dutch)• Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia (France)Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia (France)• Philippines (US)Philippines (US)• Malaysia, Singapore, Burma, Brunei (UK)Malaysia, Singapore, Burma, Brunei (UK)• Korea, Taiwan (Japan)Korea, Taiwan (Japan)• China (Portugal, Holland, UK, France, Germany, China (Portugal, Holland, UK, France, Germany,

Japan)Japan)

Security Externalities (1)Security Externalities (1)

Security Externalities (2)Security Externalities (2)

Security Externalities (3)Security Externalities (3)

Security Externalities (4)Security Externalities (4)

Security Externalities (5)Security Externalities (5)

History Hangover (China-Japan)History Hangover (China-Japan)

History Hangover (Korea-Japan)History Hangover (Korea-Japan)

How to say, “I’m sorry…”How to say, “I’m sorry…”

U.S. BilateralismU.S. Bilateralism

No Marshall Plan for AsiaNo Marshall Plan for Asia Instead, US bilateralismInstead, US bilateralism

• U.S.-Japan Security Alliance (1953)U.S.-Japan Security Alliance (1953)• And bilateral ties with ROK, Thailand, And bilateral ties with ROK, Thailand,

the Philippines, Indonesiathe Philippines, Indonesia One exception: SEATOOne exception: SEATO

No NeedNo Need

Informal networksInformal networks 　　関係関係• Japanese MNCsJapanese MNCs• The Chinese diasporaThe Chinese diaspora

Not formal treatiesNot formal treaties