OR: What Would Arab Democracy Look Like?
Inkwell Institute: Middle East Desk……………..Subject: Democracy/Labor/
As the sands of time…so go the days of their lives…….
This a follow up to my post on democracy in the Middle East from yesterday………
We are all aware of the happenings across the Middle East….Tunisia, Yemen, Egypt, on and on….everyone of the countries is experiencing some form of protests even the normally calm Kuwait, where the government had to resign for being in opposition to the al-Sabah rulers….so NO country is immune from the dissent that is growing across the region……even relatively peaceful Morocco is having its social problems…..from al-Arabiya….
About 4,000 people demonstrated in Morocco’s biggest city Casablanca Sunday to demand more democracy and reform, an AFP reporter said, in the latest in a wave of protests.
Almost every country inb the ME is experiencing the trails and tribulations of a population that wants reform (possibly democracy…personally I think that is just a spin word for attention)….the problem is…what type of democracy are we talking about?
First of all, we will NOT see a American style democracy……if anything it will most likely look more like socialism (regardless whether you like or dislike socialism, in theory it is very democratic in operation….not talking about the communism of the old USSR but socialism…there is a difference)….why?
As I wrote in a previous post…there has been little to NO flirtation with democracy in the past in the ME…ergo there are NO political leaders with experience with democratic institutions….furthermore socialism is more in line with Islam (this is not a theological discussion)…..
The idea of a social emancipation is prevalent in Islam….the Quran teaches moral standards and a better way of the treatment of human relations…basically it teaches….do not exploit, be charitable, practice unselfishness….basically the Quran has set up a economic theory of opportunity and a fair distribution….not only does it teach religion but also ethical way of life…..within the Quran is an economic and social way of living…….there should be a reasonable minimum standard of living for each individual as well as a maximum level of affluence and between the two every individual is free to gain according to his ability.
“From each according to ability, to each according to his need”…..fits very well with the thinking in the Middle East…..and therefore socialism would make a perfect fit for the area if and when they decide to try democracy…….
Democracy is most likely coming to the Middle East….but it may not be what the politicos were hoping for and then that will start a whole new conversation on battling cable networks…..
(Please remember that this is NOT a theological discussion, but rather an explanation of what could happen if democracy were to actually break out in the Middle East)
Yes. A very good post. In fact, one of the problems is that most people confuse democracy (or dictatorship, etc.) with capitalism and socialism, whilst the truth is that they are (theoretically at least) totally unconnected.
Although they both stray (to a greater or lesser extent) into social conditions and personal wealth, capitalism and socialism are at heart ECONOMIC systems, whilst democracy is a GOVERNMENTAL system.
A democratically elected government is there to manage the basic conditions of the society it represents and that does include economic conditions and for ALL as well as basic law and order, healthcare, defence of the nation and so on.
But, even though socialism glibly talks about each according to his needs etc., the reality is that it is an economic system and I think that much of the poblem with socialism is that it CANNOT exist properly within a capitalist system – but then human nature (that old favourite) dictates that communist systems, which in theory support socialism (but mostly simply don’t), will ALWAYS fail when confronted by capitalism which plays to the ACTUAL natural desires of humanity.
I think you’re probably right about democratic socialism in the Arab world, or parts of it. In my view this would only (over years or decades) be a precursor to them joining properly in the democratic capitalist society, which potentially offers so much more to individuals.
However, the problem there is that in places like America (in particular), capitalism is distorted and twisted almost out of recognition because capital has been allowed to gain control of the democratic process and thus two almost unconnected cultural features have become blurred into one – which really is NOT good!
Thanx for the kudos……I posted this because you know the screams there will be if socialism takes hold in the ME……and I wanted to prepare people for the coming scenario…..and I agree that some form of socialism will come first….and will prepare the people and the country for a more representative government later….probably is wishful thinking and a new authoritarian will take power to make the transition easier (and never leave office)….
Plus I am waiting for the inevitable comment on the horrors of Islam……