CDDRL scholars Larry Diamond, Francis Fukuyama, and Ahmed Benchemsi published articles in the January issue of the Journal of Democracy examining the state of democratic development in two pivotal regions – Asia and the Middle East. Diamond and Fukuyama write about democracy in East Asia, and the challenge China faces in adapting its traditional party system to the demands of a growing and dynamic middle class. Benchemsi discusses the cosmetic reforms enacted by the Moroccan monarch to appease protesters, predicting that the smoke screen will not last much longer.