Having experienced a recent economic boom prior to the 2008 global financial crisis and a flourishing tourism industry, Cambodia lies at the forefront of becoming a rising star within the Southeast Asian region. However, in order to do so there are major political issues and concerns dealing with democracy, which need to be combatted. This paper will aim to analyze the challenges that Cambodia has faced on its road towards democracy by giving a brief historical insight before focusing more specifically on issues dealing with corruption, civil liberties and political freedom, as well as the lack of rule of law within Cambodian society. .
History.
Before being able to focus on the problems Cambodia has faced on its road to establishing a democratic government, one must shed light on Cambodia's rich history. The most important and influential period during Cambodia's ancient history was that of the Khmer Empire rule starting around 802 AD and lasting as long as 1431. The vast empire comprised much of present day Cambodia, along with Thailand, Laos and southern Vietnam (CIA Fact book). Moreover, the people of the Khmer empire left their legacy by being known as great builders. The kingdom was made up of large reservoirs and canals, in addition to an extensive network of roads and, monumental temples, with Angkor Wat being known as perhaps the most prominent legacy left behind (CIA Fact book). Due to the fact that Cambodia possesses such a rich history, I will focus on the epochs I believe have forged the country into what the political situation is like today. During the late 19th century, the Cambodian king at the time turned to the French for assistance, as Cambodia had been suffering from constant threat of invasion from both the Vietnamese and the Thai people. As a result, Cambodia was established under the French protectorate and became part of the so-called French Indochina region.
