"Cambodia in 2002, Decentralization and Its Effects on Party Politics".
By Un, Kheang, and Judy Ledgerwood. Asian Survey 43, no 1 (2003): 113-19.
This article presents an overview of Cambodia's politics and economic performance in 2001-2002. The three political parties active in Cambodia are the Cambodian People's Party (CPP), the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), and the United National Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful and Cooperative Cambodia Party (FUNCINPEC). While initially the article appears to be praising the recent success of Cambodian development, the authors continue to point out the continuing problems of corruption and stagnation. For example, 2002 was seen as an important year in Cambodia due to the fact that the election provided Cambodia with a more democratic multi-party governmental system that would perform on much more localized level. While this is viewed as a positive step towards modernization, the corruption that has been a part of Cambodia since the Khmer Rouge still exists under the superficial movement towards democracy. The election left the CPP as the strongest player in Cambodian politics. An alliance between the CPP and the FUNCINPEC parties lead to people losing faith in the FUNCINPEC party as an alternative the CPP. (pg. 115) The FUNCINPEC lost many of its supporters and suffered further break-down due to party in-fighting and defection. The best example of the CPP's continued monopolization of policy-making is the issue surrounding the heir to the royal throne. A motion was brought forward by one of the current King's sons to hold a popular referendum to elect the new heir. The idea was quickly shot down by Hun Sen, the leader of the CPP, who issued a thinly-veiled threat against anyone else raising the topic of the throne. (pg. 116).
This article reads more like a narrative than an academic journal. While it does paint a picture of some of Cambodia's problems, it prompts more questions than answers.
