Regional perspectives Decolonization and democracy in the South Pacific / Uentabo Neemia -- The future of democracy in the Pacific Islands / Ron Crocombe -- Democracy (a poem) / Grace Mera Molisa -- Power corrupts (a poem) / Grace Mera Molisa -- Politics (a poem) / Keli S. Manoa -- Melanesia Culture and democracy in Papua New Guinea : Marit Tru or Giaman Marit? / Tony Delkin -- Government in Vanuatu : the place of culture and tradition / Ati George Sokomanu -- Culture and traditions : implications for modern nation building / Asesela Ravavu -- Fij'i's chiefly system and its pattern of political self-reliance / Filipe Bole -- Westminster style democracy and cultural diversity : a critique of the Fijian experience / Isikeli Mataitoga -- Rhetoric and reality : the dilemmas of contemporary Fijian politics / Brij Lal -- Polynesia The Samoan culture and government / Aiono Dr. Fana'afi Le Tagaloa -- Democracy bug bites Tonga / 'I. Futa Helu -- The culture of politics and the politicization of culture in the Cook Islands / Takiora Ingram -- Culture, ethnicity and political representation in New Zealand / John Henderson -- Confronting democracy in Hawaii : an informal assessment of an island political culture / William Tagupa -- Micronesia Tradition and democracy on Pohnpei Island / Resio S. Moses, Gene Ashby -- Challenges to democracy in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands / Samuel F. McPhetres -- Trends and patterns Achievements and directions / The editors -- Glossary