It was a hundred years ago that a serious discussion began in the USA about future power shifts in world politics. Today, however, this view is widespread: “The Pacific Era will be led by China – and no one else.” So is it possible to define socio-political Asia with Western historical and sociological terms or should this approach be questioned? The basic issue that needs to be discussed here is that large parts of Asia are in a clear process of modernisation, which also increasingly includes politics. Is this modernising Asia ultimately on the path to democratic systems?