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The International Journal of the Royal Society of Thailand
Volume XII, 2020

explained the need to include reformed projects into the Constitution thus: “If you

listen to the protesters, they are saying: this society is not equal, not just, not fair.” 6
A study by the ILO noted the link between economic and political
inequality in these terms:

"Instead of triggering redistribution, widening inequality can lead to
institutions and politics that perpetuate or accelerate it…. Simply put inequality
in economic resources can lead to inequality in political power, which in turn
leads to unequal policies that impede efficient incentives and access to
opportunities to invest and innovate." (Lee and Gerecke, 2015: 52)

Flexible oligarchy

In Oligarchy (Winters, 2011), the political scientist Jeffrey Winters showed
how, across history and across the world, the rich have grabbed political power
in order to use it to protect their wealth. His chapter on the US details how, over

the 20 century, the US electoral system shifted from representing people to
th
representing the wealth of corporate and individual donors, and how in parallel
the taxation system was changed to allow corporations and billionaires to evade
progressive tax.
Oligarchy means rule by the few. Winters narrows this to mean the
“rich few,” but the term is more useful with its original, broader meaning.
In the US today, wealth and power roughly coincide so Winters’ redefinition

works, but elsewhere the few may wish to consolidate status, privilege, and
assets other than monetary wealth.
Oligarchy is especially strong in Thailand because the powerful have

never been conclusively undermined by a crisis (such as war or economic collapse)
or strongly challenged by mass mobilization (Pasuk and Baker, 2016: 19-20).
Thus the modern Thai political system is best viewed as an oligarchy which
has never been radically threatened from below. But this oligarchy has not been
static. It has constantly evolved, incorporating new groups and power centers,
and building internal bonds through networks, patronage ties, and deals. Under
the absolute monarchy, a bureaucratic elite developed from the late 19 century,
th

Speaking at the panel on “An Event with Thailand’s 20 Constitution Drafters” at the Foreign
6 th
Correspondents Club of Thailand, 7 April, 2015.

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Pasuk Phongpaichit

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