"My friends, a future of liberty stands before you. It is your right. It is your dream. And it is your destiny." These were the words of President Bush as he spoke about his goals for democracy in the Middle East, but with civil unrest pervading the region, the realization of those goals is very much in question. In a region with such a complex history and unique traditions, can democracy ever truly thrive?
I strongly believe in a gradual approach towards democratization in the Middle East--undertaken with a clear understanding of the religious, cultural, and historic contexts. Too often these factors are dismissed as irrelevant by people who make simplistic comparisons between the Middle East and post-WWII Japan, arguing that Japanese culture did not prevent the country from embracing democracy. While Islam is not inherently incompatible with democracy, the way in which Islam has evolved as a political ideology in the Middle East is critically important. Political Islam arose in the Arab Middle East as a reaction to the colonial period, the creation of state of Israel, the perceived and actual double-standards of American foreign policy, as well as from Saudi Arabia’s promotion of Wahhabism. Turkey, on the other hand, despite being a majority-Muslim country, is a secular democracy; this has a lot to do with the fact that Islam there has not been politicized. I would recommend that we not blindly promote democracy in the Middle East simply because we assume that Islam will become moderate in a democracy. If the potential for the politicization of Islam is not taken into consideration, we will only likely see groups such as Hamas come to power in free elections.
Next Argument
Biweekly updates on new debates and experts
Please check your email to confirm your subscription.
© 2008 Opposing Views, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Opposing Views, Inc. is not responsible for the content posted on this website. Please view full disclaimer under Terms
Expert Verified
