Amnesia

<p><b>Describes the profound social impact of the overthrow of the Thai absolute monarchy in 1932 and explains the importance of democracy in a country long known for authoritarian politics.</b></p><p>Thailand's monarchy and military have dominated the narrative of the country's modern history and their leadership is often accepted as evidence of a cultural preference for authoritarianism. Despite a long history of military coups that have upended the course of the country's democracy however Thailand's democratic history is a vital though largely ignored aspect of modern Thai society. Based on extensive archival research <i>Amnesia</i> delves into the social and political beginnings of Thai democracy and explains how a bloodless revolution against the monarchy in 1932 introduced a constitutional democracy and ignited enduring hopes for a fairer society and a more representative government. The People's Party a small group of commoners who staged the revolution in the name of democracy found an enthusiastic audience for their bold populist rhetoric among wide swathes of society. In <i>Amnesia</i> Arjun Subrahmanyan illustrates how the idealism of the first decade of Thai democracy now largely forgotten still shapes Thai society.</p>