WUNRN
Authors: Derichs, Claudia1; Fleschenberg, Andrea2; Hüstebeck, Momoyo2
Source: Critical Asian Studies, Volume 38, Number 3, September 2006 , pp. 245-270(26)
Abstract:
In
contrast to social capital, moral capital remains an under-researched topic in
political science. In Asia, however, moral capital is one of the core assets of
women politicians on their way to power. Kane defines moral capital as a
specific political value of virtue that inclines others, in particular the
political public and followers, to bestow (ethical) prestige, respect, loyalty,
and authority on a political actor or the representative of an institution that
the actor herself/himself can use as a resource to mobilize for political
goals, activities, or support. This article addresses two questions. First, in
which circumstances does moral capital become a significant asset for women on
the rise to the top echelons of political power in Asia? Second, how do women
politicians use moral capital as a political strategy, campaign instrument,
and/or asset of public imaging? The authors discuss four case studies of female
opposition politicians — Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi, Malaysia's Wan Azizah, South
Korea's Park Geun-hye, and Japan's Tanaka Makiko — in three types of political
systems: democratic, semi-authoritarian, and authoritarian. All four women are
descendants of political dynasties and each of them used moral capital to reach
top political offices in their countries. But significant differences emerge
regarding the importance of moral capital as a prime asset in the development
of each of their political careers. These differences originate from (a) the
power configurations in the political context in which each woman operates, and
(b) the legacies of their fathers or husbands.
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