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DEMOCRACY in the Middle East (DEMOCRATISATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST (Ideas of…
DEMOCRACY in the Middle East
What Is Democracy?
-Contested elections
-Incumbent surrenders power
Cultural and intellectual tradition
THE FREEDOM TO ELECT OUR OWN DICTATORS
a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of state, typically through elected representatives
DEMOCRATISATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Ideas of "Arab" or "Islamic exceptionalism"
-Due to anti-democratic religious or cultural tradition
Some argue democracy is culturally specific
Some say certain cultures especially adverse to democracy
Some say Islam is inclined to authoritarianism
Long and complexed democracy in Europe
STRUCTURAL LIMITATIONS
Requires a high level of socio-economic development
not present in most Middle Eastern Countries
No hegemonic class to promote political stability
"Despotically" strong, but "infrastructurally" weak
Relations between state and society direct rather than mediated
Democratisation means of spreading Western influence, but used selectively as an ideological weapon against hostile regimes
HISTORIOGRAPHY
Democratisation Through Economic development
Diversified class structure - more difficult for regime control
Involvement in world economy creates non-governmental sources of wealth and influence
Society will be opened to democratic ideas (Huntingdon)
Impact of Oil, rentier states
Different states:
EGYPT
'Independence' in 1923
1923-1952: 10 parliamentary elections - most one by WAFD party, but usually forced to resign power
Low levels of socio-economic development - peasants under influence of landlords
LANDLORD-DOMINATED PARLIAMENT, unwilling to tackle country's problems
Idea of "democracy" under attack as a Western initiative
NASSER
Nasser reported to BBC the year after he nationalised the Suez Canal, he stated that democracy in Egypt was run under a "feudal system" - Medieval: Peasants under control of landowners
He therefore deemed democracy as useless to Egypt
"I want to liberate the peasants" - Nasser
"I want the peasants and the Workers to be able to say 'yes' and 'no' without any of this affecting their livelihood or their daily bread
Nasser abolished political parties in 1953 - set up Arab Socialist Union - 1961
Sadat allowed some plurality although elections in 1976 gave him overwhelming win
MUBARAK
Won most elections between 1984 and 2005
The Arab Spring led to Mubarak's defeat after the political uprisings - the people pledged for a true democracy, and won
Next election 2012, Muslim Brotherhood won- citizens felt more repressed under the regime
Military coup with Sisi as leader, overthrow the Muslim Botherhoof
LEBANON
Consociationalism argued to have failed Lebanon
In order to prevent conflict in a heterogeneous society, Lebanon was split into two ruling governments, Christian and Muslim
However there are different groups within these groups, Maronite Christians and Sunni and Shi'a Muslims, which causes issues
Israel and Turkey
Arguably the only states with a democracy
Some believe this is because Muslims are a minority in this country - Norton
Others say that Muslims have democracy in other places eg India, US, UK so its not to do with them - Norton