Two main obstacles of democracy in Middle East
February 1st, 2008To be honest, I do not feel good about what’s happening in Pakistan. In other words, I feel sorry about that. In one of my posts in Irano-American, my former blog, I called the story of Pakistan the sad story of democracy in Middle East. To be honest, it seems so hard for the intellectuals of Islamic countries to make their leaders accept the democratic concepts. Lots of economic and social elements contribute to this miserable fact. Economically, the Middle Eastern countries are highly dependent on their resources specially oil. So the government is barely dependent on the Bourgeoisie class, which sociologically is the most influent social force in creating democracy by obliging the totalitarian governments to accept the democratic values. The other reason is the Islamic religion and its high potential to be used as a dictatorial element. Islamic fundamentalism, beyond any doubt, has been one of the major obstacles in front of the process of transition to democracy in this very important part of the world.
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Are you saying that Islamic teachings and practices don’t give room to different aspects of Democracy? or to Full Democracy?
You lost me at the last two lines..
Dear Lou
I never said Islam innately encourages dictatorship, or that Islam don’t give room for democracy. I just said that Islam, like every other ideology, has this potential to be used as a pro-dictatorism element. However, I am one of those who welcome the democratic interpretations of Islam throughout what is often called Religious Intellectuality.
Thanks for reading my article and making comment!
True, although I’d substitute “religion” for “ideology.” As someone once said, the keys to heaven are a powerful instrument of social control.
“Islamic Fundamentalism” you mentioned as “an important obstacle of democracy” might be relevant with regards to Pakistan, but is not applicable to Iran, I think. that is because Pakistan seems to include a fair amount of “citizens” who sincerely subscribe to a fundamentalistic interpretation of Islam and who try to enforce it even through aggressive and violent methods; but, in the cae of Iran, not so much of people swear by such an interpretation of Islam, and a good proportion of those who believe in it are not seeking it through violent methods.
actually one might refer to ‘lack of a suitable democratic alternative’ as the main barrier to achieving democracy. some of the most prominent and visualized figures of democratic movement in Iran are some ex-partners of IRI who were denied their share of lucrative businesses due to some internal conflicts, and now they are exploiting democratic slogans as a retaliation tool against IRI. They are less likely to establish a democracy in Iran.
Omid,
Glad to know.. I just got confused a bit in the last parts like i said.. Though this is one short blog, but it did attract my attention.. Am already subscribed to it
Keep it up..
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Yours,
Lou..
I never understood why people continue to lump Pakistan with the rest of the Middle East. Pakistan has historically, culturally, and geographically been part of South Asia.
Is Cyprus part of the Middle East due to its close proximity with Israel and Lebanon now?
Danial:
a nation might be included in or excluded from a general sample due to its similarities or differences between that nation and the general sample.
Pakistan has many things in common with other Mideast countries, and thats why many consider it part of general trends happening in Mideast.
Like what? Being Muslim?
If that’s the case, then I suppose Indonesia is a Middle Eastern country by that logic.
with regards to socio-political factors, as well as religious ones, determinants which make Pakistan a part of Mideast include:
(1) Political Islam
Indonesia is a muslim country as you noted, but lets understand that Islam hardly resembles a kind of political movement in that country. Britannica elaborates the reason:
(2) Social bonds with other mideast countries
Pakistan’s social movements are somehow associated (if not correlated) with those of other mideast countries. Interactions between Pakistanis with radical arab movements such as salafi ones, enanle Pakistan to be a mirror as well as a part of Political Movements within the rgion.
(3) Shiite-Sunni relations
this is a very important factor which infcluences many relations within this region, and Pakistan is much of a leader with regards to some specific aspects of this unfortunate conflict.
I never understood why people continue to lump Pakistan with the rest of the Middle East. Pakistan has historically, culturally, and geographically been part of South Asia.
Yeah, countries get lumped into the Middle East for the dumbest reasons. I don’t think Iran was counted untill Iran/Iraq war. Why is Afghanistan even there? I’ve been called a racist for pointing this out, too, which is awesome.
Actually I’ve seen some broad definitions of the middle east that include, like, Greece and former Yugoslavia. Whatever.
Maybe they are referring to “the other Pakistan.” You know. Dubai.
The Muhammadiyah movement would beg to differ with your claim.
The conservative movements among Muslims in South Asia were historically rooted in British India, which is Deobandism.
The Salafis are a recent phenomenon in Pakistan that are part of Zia’s legacy in the 80’s.
As for the rest of the social movements being related to the Middle East, can you tell me how Sindh grievances and Muhajir resentment correlate to the Middle East?
Shia-Sunni conflict is also common in India (Lucknow in 05). In fact, India has half the Shi’as that Iran does, yet does that make India a Middle Eastern country now?
lol
Danial:
once upon a time, a set of countries were called mideast which had highly correlated characteristics (remeber the very definition of correlation: if A and B are correlated, A’s behavior might predict that of B and vice versa) or thier activities could infulence each other to much extent.
whatever the original set of Mideast countries was, some other ones happened to develop a kind of association with the members of the original set throughout past decades.
then, some other countries, or maybe some parts of other countries, are mideastern to an extent, i.e. their characteristics are associated with those of mideast countries.
that is why I refer to Salafi movement in Pakistan as a feature which makes a bond between that country and mideast; it influences the mideast and is influenced by mideast. but, Muhammadiyah is to much extent contained within Indonesia.
Surely I’m not saying that, Indonesia for example, has nothing to do with Mideast; but there is ‘less’ or ‘more’ connection with original mideast, and that is the determinant of being mideastern or not.
Shiite-Sunni conflicts in India, or even Muslim-NonMuslim conflicts in subcontinent, are to much extent contained within India as well. yeah, Muslims in mideast might help Indian Muslims and vice versa, but there is not much of a ‘correlation’ or ’statistically significant relation’ between India and Mideast; while the Pakistan enjoys (or suffers?) such a strong association.
Finally, with regards to Omid and his post here, political issues in Pakistan have enough things in common with mideast countries to be assumed part of mideast, or consider Pakistan a Mideastern Country to an extent.
Yet you may argue that this level of connection between Pakistan and Mideast is not enough to assume it a mideast country. choice is yours.
Well, I consider Pakistan as a part of Middle East because it is, as read in geographical books.
Many geographical books in the U.S. and in Pakistan tend to consider Pakistan part of South Asia.
Just because Farsi influenced South Asia doesn’t mean it’s Middle Eastern.
Wikipedia:
Well, geography aside, I always thought that one of the main impediments to democracy in “that area that does not touch the Pacific or Atlantic Ocean where there are mostly Muslims” was the influence of clan and tribal cultural structures. Even though oil does play an important role in both the economic and political framework of “Not Disneyland”, these areas also have an extremely old and rich tradition of commerce, and thus a signifigant “middle class”. The business class in Europe played a role in the introduction of democracy mainly to advance their own interests in land ownership, and were able to gradually build up wealth and power to do so by commerce outside their nations. Over time, these competing forces (the traditional, landed aristocracy and the princes of commerce) acquired more ideological trappings and became political parties, but not without centuries of war, terror, oppression and general craziness. Political affiliation grew to replace the older ethnic and feudal loyalties, particularly in North America, but not without such bloody conflicts as the Civil War.
Pakistan is having instability because there are strong factors against the establishment of inclusive nationalist democratic ideologies. The identification of one as a member of a specific clan or tribe, excluding power-sharing inclusiveness, the vast differences between the urban and rural populations, the enduring political homogenous behaviour of the influx population from India and their influence in the armed forces, rendering it partisan rather than politically exempt, all contribute to the current instabilities.
One would think that Islam would provide a unifying base for a more fluid philsosphical mix in politics, but unfortunately it appears to be exploited in Pakistan by all parties to attempt to add the totalitarian authority of loyalty or damnation to their platforms.
Right now, with the region of Waziristan being largely autonomous, little credibility in the upcoming Pakistan elections with Bhutto’s assasination ( I must note that her son being appointed her successor politically is a prime symptom of this kind of pseudo-democratic feudalism), and no guarantee that the army will release their hold on the country, conditions are ripe for a civil war. And, as a westerner, I find the combination of Al-Queda’s leadership, that instability, and nuclear weapons very unsettling.
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