Military Professionalism in Asia: Conceptual and Empirical Perspectives

Military professionalism has long been an influential but controversial concept in the study of civil-military relations. Investigating the conception, practice, evolution, and consequences of military professionalism in ten Asian countries, this study convincingly advances three propositions. First, old military professionalism is on the rise in Asia as the management of violence becomes the central function of the military. Second, the renewal of old professionalism can be explained by the reduced role of coercion in governance and the shift in the distribution of power against the military. These developments facilitate―indeed compel―the development of a professional and apolitical military. Third, the apolitical orientation of the military is not a consequence of the development of military professionalism as some have argued but rather an outcome of a redistribution of power in favor of political and civil society. Such changes have typically led to the military's exit from politics and the limitation of its role to the security arena. Combining the expertise of military officers and scholars from the region, this volume provides definitive case studies of the military in India, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Pakistan, and Burma. The cases are framed by Muthiah Alagappa's authoritative introduction and conclusion, which contextualize and interpret the country-specific analyses.