To the surprise of many, the much vaunted authoritarian "Asian Value" model of development took a nose dive in 1998 wrecking the so-called "economic miracle" from East to Southeast Asia, sending stock exchanges and currencies into disarray, sinking the new middle classes, and drastically raising unemployment and poverty levels. While the debate over the globalizing effects of currency movements raged on, no longer could the debilitating mix of military-led dictatorship, one party dominant authoritarianism, and the region's signature crony capitalism style of business be shielded from the rising wrath of new emergent forces, especially around the slogan of reformasi.