Colonial path dependencies, elite persistence and (un)democratic outcomes in the Philipines

Abstract

The article analyses how democracy in the Philippines developed in a way deeply moulded by authoritarian structures inherited from colonialism. Political elites, clientelism, and extreme social inequality are presented as contemporary expressions of a past that remains alive within institutions. Contesting linear narratives that associate capitalism with the automatic consolidation of democracy, the authors show that democratic development must be understood in light of historical power relations and the ongoing adaptation and capture of institutions by elites to serve their own interests. In the case of the Philippines, the colonial past not only moulded its political institutions but continues to perpetuate authoritarian dynamics to this day.