Unfit for Democracy?
February 28, 2011
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/27/opinion/27kristof.html?_r=1
Unfit for Democracy?
By Nicholas D. Kristoff
Published: February 26, 2011
CAIRO
Is the Arab world unready for freedom? A crude stereotype lingers that some people — Arabs, Chinese and Africans — are incompatible with democracy. Many around the world fret that “people power” will likely result in Somalia-style chaos, Iraq-style civil war or Iran-style oppression.
That narrative has been nourished by Westerners and, more sadly, by some Arab, Chinese and African leaders. So with much of the Middle East in an uproar today, let’s tackle a politically incorrect question head-on: Are Arabs too politically immature to handle democracy?
This concern is the subtext for much anxiety today, from Washington to Riyadh. And there’s no question that there are perils: the overthrow of the shah in Iran, of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, of Tito in Yugoslavia, all led to new oppression and bloodshed. Congolese celebrated the eviction of their longtime dictator in 1997, but the civil war since has been the most lethal conflict since World War II. If Libya becomes another Congo, if Bahrain becomes an Iranian satellite, if Egypt becomes controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood — well, in those circumstances ordinary citizens might end up pining for former oppressors.
“Before the revolution, we were slaves, and now we are the slaves of former slaves,” Lu Xun, the great Chinese writer, declared after the toppling of the Qing dynasty. Is that the future of the Middle East?
I don’t think so. Moreover, this line of thinking seems to me insulting to the unfree world. In Egypt and Bahrain in recent weeks, I’ve been humbled by the lionhearted men and women I’ve seen defying tear gas or bullets for freedom that we take for granted. How can we say that these people are unready for a democracy that they are prepared to die for?
We Americans spout bromides about freedom. Democracy campaigners in the Middle East have been enduring unimaginable tortures as the price of their struggle — at the hands of dictators who are our allies — yet they persist. In Bahrain, former political prisoners have said that their wives were taken into the jail in front of them. And then the men were told that unless they confessed, their wives would promptly be raped. That, or more conventional tortures, usually elicited temporary confessions, yet for years or decades those activists persisted in struggling for democracy. And we ask if they’re mature enough to handle it?
The common thread of this year’s democracy movement from Tunisia to Iran, from Yemen to Libya, has been undaunted courage. I’ll never forget a double-amputee I met in Tahrir Square in Cairo when Hosni Mubarak’s thugs were attacking with rocks, clubs and Molotov cocktails. This young man rolled his wheelchair to the front lines. And we doubt his understanding of what democracy means?
In Bahrain, I watched a column of men and women march unarmed toward security forces when, a day earlier, the troops had opened fire with live ammunition. Anyone dare say that such people are too immature to handle democracy?
Look, there’ll be bumps ahead. It took Americans six years after the Revolutionary War to elect a president, and we almost came apart at the seams again in the 1860s. When Eastern Europe became democratic after the 1989 revolutions, Poland and the Czech Republic adjusted well, but Romania and Albania endured chaos for years. After the 1998 people power revolution in Indonesia, I came across mobs in eastern Java who were beheading people and carrying their heads on pikes.
The record is that after some missteps, countries usually pull through. Education, wealth, international connections and civil society institutions help. And, on balance, Egypt, Libya and Bahrain are better positioned today for democracy than Mongolia or Indonesia seemed in the 1990s — and Mongolia and Indonesia today are successes. Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain visited the Middle East a few days ago (arms dealers in tow), and he forthrightly acknowledged that for too long Britain had backed authoritarian regimes to achieve stability. He acknowledged that his country had bought into the bigoted notion “that Arabs or Muslims can’t do democracy.” And he added: “For me, that’s a prejudice that borders on racism. It’s offensive and wrong, and it’s simply not true.”
It’s still a view peddled by Arab dictatorships, particularly Saudi Arabia — and, of course, by China’s leaders and just about any African despot. It’s unfortunate when Westerners are bigoted in this way, but it’s even sadder when leaders in the developing world voice such prejudices about their own people.
In the 21st century, there’s no realistic alternative to siding with people power. Prof. William Easterly of New York University proposes a standard of reciprocity: “I don’t support autocracy in your society if I don’t want it in my society.”
That should be our new starting point. I’m awed by the courage I see, and it’s condescending and foolish to suggest that people dying for democracy aren’t ready for it.
Yes he’s right. Americans spout bromide about freedom.
And it has its own perils for us who shout reformation and democracy without realizing the pitfalls.
It’s not clothes where we can try it for size.
It’s not one size fits all.
P.S. How come you are not among the MACC appointees? I think you have more passion on MACC than Syed.
Are you disappointed?
Pak Abu - February 28, 2011 at 9:18 am
Pak Abu,
No, I am not. I will stay on the sidelines and help when the country thinks I am still relevant and needed. I will die for Malaysia as I am a Malaysian who loves his country. I was born here and God willing, I will die here.
In the meantime, I remain optimistic, hopeful and realistic about the pace of change. I am pro-progress for 1Malaysia (United Malaysia) where there is a place in the sun for every Malaysian. We all individually and collectively can make a difference. Thanks.–Din
dinobeano - February 28, 2011 at 9:30 am
Way to go Din. We share a common purpose in our love for our country.
Pak Abu - February 28, 2011 at 9:47 am
It is not that any race is incompatible with democracy but that the Western Powers had chosen to impose regimes pliable to their demands on the people in the various countries. The Western Powers chose to use these “Leader” who are their protege, to surpress the people, until such time as the suppression becomes unbearable, and the people rises to overthrow their oppressors. Witness the case of Cuba, Guatamala, Somali, Ethiopia, China, Iran, Afganistan et al. With the overthrow of the oppresive regimes, the Western Powers feel that the incoming government may not be friendly to them and therefore try to pressurize and topple it thus inviting their hostility. These Governments cannot afford the luxury of full democracy as their are threatened with overthrow by the Western Power and their proxies in their own country. The case of Cuba and China are 2 very good examples of the peoples’ rise against imperialism and their running dogs. Now we are witnessing uprisings on a large scale as the oppression becomes unbearable. Yesterday Tunisia and Egypt (mind you the revolution is not complete and may yet be jijacked by opportunists), today Bahrain, Libya, Jordan, Mexico and Yeman and tomorrow, who knows what tomorrow will bring. But certainly a new World Order is still a long way away.
Closer to home, we have the ridiculous action of a Government to form a panel to amend a privately authored novel to make it suitable for use as literature in schools. The Government is using repressive methods to suppress dissent to the novel which contents are not even in line with the 1Malaysia concept of the PM. Is the PM is control or had the DPM with his “I am Malay first” ursurping his power and authority. Are Malaysian to be subjected to the bastardization of our history and racial teachings as symbolized by the novel and the BTN classes. The PM will go down is history as one who proposed 1Malaysia without meaning to walk the talk. History always has it that if the avenue for peaceful communications is closed then people will resort to violence and revolution to achieve the required transition.
Jeffrey Lim - February 28, 2011 at 10:07 am
Take a look at “Democracy: A Journal of Ideas”
http://www.democracyjournal.org/
Phua Kai Lit - February 28, 2011 at 11:23 am
Very apt quote for Libya and its popular democratic uprising (from playwright
Bertolt Brecht):
General, your tank is a powerful vehicle
It smashes down forests and crushes a hundred men
But it has one defect:
It needs a driver
Phua Kai Lit - February 28, 2011 at 12:46 pm
Well said, JEFFREY LIM.
Isa Manteqi - February 28, 2011 at 1:45 pm
It would be good if Mr. Kristoff defines what his notion of “Democracy” means.
Revolutions don’t mean a thing, if the end result is more of the same oppression under a different guise. Example: Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and the former Soviet Republics.
As i’d mentioned, Tribalism is at the core of the repeated cycles of failure. Any arguments?
A post-modernistic view of the Rise of City States as opposed to Nations might be in order. In this scenario, nations devolve into a loose coalition of powerful city states who hold similar value systems. Like the Hellenistic world of antiquity. Democracy becomes localized, in the form of ‘Archons’. People will choose to become citizens not of Nations, but of Cities which best represent their life-style. Trade becomes barter, without the need of a common currency. Economics become localized too. Will take another couple of centuries.
Any futurists out there?
C.L. Familiaris - February 28, 2011 at 2:15 pm
Bro Dato Din,
“I will die for Malaysia as I am a Malaysian who loves his country”
With whats happening in this ’1Malaysia”, eg pendatang, cover-ups etc, I subscribe to the 2nd. part but seriously doubt the 1st part. I am sorry but that’s how I feel. I wish it was otherwise.
Brian - February 28, 2011 at 3:46 pm
All are entitle to democracy. It should be a human right. We should not be governed by an undemocratically elected government.
Usually where democracy failed it is usually because the institutions in place were not democratic were used to oppress.
So perhaps a world body may be required to oversee and ensure that democratic laws are in place.
Thomas - February 28, 2011 at 4:10 pm
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2011/02/28/dr-m-elections-can-be-manipulated/
Here comes the apanama great speech. he’s definitely going ga ga
We need to commission SPITTING IMAGE IN MALAYSIA…….Hahaha
looes74 - February 28, 2011 at 4:30 pm
People “dying for democracy”?
No sir, in the current unrest people are dying for food and jobs. Then a little dignity. Democracy comes some way down in the list.
Isa Manteqi - February 28, 2011 at 6:14 pm
C.L.Familiaris, I am with you when you say : “….Tribalism is at the core of the repeated cycles of failures….”
To support that, the on-going Doha debate is highly suggestive when the topic itself postulated ” The revolutions in Arab nations is about producing different dictators…” !
Considering what you have said, I would like to suggest my own hypothesis in deference to the topic by Nicholas Kristoff, & I would say : IT IS DEMOCRACY THAT IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH TRIBALISM !
How ? It is something too steeped in their psyche from time immemorial, and to cope up with present-day ( modern times ) situations, they give it the semblence of democratic processes, albeit notionally or token, such that when the Leaders reach their pinnacles of ” power “, they barricade themselves with at least three to four layers of their militias, AND, there the primitive instincts of tribalism rear their ugly heads again ! In tribalism, those that are perched on the highest point in their heirarchies, become the ” Supreme ” and impenetrable !
So, what happens to masses then ? It is like three to four decades afterwards, that the masses sudenly, spontaneously and uniformly, as if acting in chorus, are given A RUDE AWAKENNING THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DECEIVED ! Hence, we all witness the present SUDDEN eruptions everywhere…like Vesuvias that had lain dormant for centuries !
No, seriously, to make democracy compatible with tribal mental make-up which have been long ingrained, will require transmutation of the mind like the proverbial process of alchemy to turn metal or lead into silver, and that requires 2000 degrees centrigrade of heat !
Please have some fun on the hypothesis ! !
Abnizar7 - February 28, 2011 at 9:32 pm
Dear Mr. Kristoff, its good writing but I wish you are 1 of us foreigners who are currently living in Bahrain now and I for 1 have been living in Bahrain for 5 years ( I saw everything as my apartment oversee the Pearl roundabout), and all over the GCC for nearly 14 years.
You will write your thoughts differently should you live here amongst these so called “dying for democracy”. I wish you know more regards to the history of Bahrain and the diversified races, religion and culture here from a 100 years ago that have transformed Bahrain for the better in all aspects.
For me “dying for democracy” is one thing but “dying for democracy when you already have it but are too brainless to see it” is another. “Dying for democracy” when none of you contribute to the economy, the better of your own country?
Have a think again Mr. Kristoff and please do not compare Bahrain to the rest of the Arabs world. I am a Malaysian, I love Bahrain with its colourful foreigners who are the ones who work very hard for Bahrain than your “Dying for Democracy” lots.
Sheild37xs - February 28, 2011 at 9:50 pm
The basic intelligence of human brain has not changed for millennia. What has to change (or should change) is what “tribalism” means. For instance, ‘Nationalism’ is a form of tribalism not that much different from ‘Apartheid’ or even ‘Caste’.
Certain religions like the monotheistic Judeo-Christian-Islamic and atheistic ones like Buddhism do encourage this change in basic mentation, if properly understood, practiced and rationalized.. Altruism is often-times misunderstood.
‘Centrisms’, whether ethnic, religious or eclectic reinforce the ‘apartness’. But the main stumbling block remains the ‘Darwinian Ideal’ or the evolutionary idea of only the fittest survive. The Selfish Gene theory put forth by rabid atheists like Richard Dawkins are dogmas that can perpetuate tribalisms.
It is better to say that “NOT all men are born equal!”, and take it from there with the proper understanding of what ‘Democracy’ should mean. Democracy will then take the form of altruistic behavior, whether enforced or by holistic education or by religion.
This cannot happen without a period of ‘Renaissance’ when Enlightenment and Reformation allowed for differing opinions.
Tribalism is rooted in Stagnation. One can only hope that the Arabs come to their senses, before the cycle continues.
C.L. Familiaris - February 28, 2011 at 11:38 pm
“This is a warning to anyone contemplating the abuse of human rights in Libya or any other country: Stay your hand. There will be a day of reckoning and the reach of international justice can be long”.
William Hague
(Foreign Secretary of the UK)
Phua Kai Lit - March 1, 2011 at 8:02 am
This point being discussed about tribalism being deep rooted and one that eventually leads to tiny elites who end up lording it over the rest is, in my opinion, an interesting way of looking at current eruptions.
The problem CAN be resolved by overhauling parliamentary democracy as it is currently understood. In our country it would mean having not one but two elected groups – one governing and a much smaller one, acting in place of the imperfect “checks and balance” mechanism we now have.
This will solve the problem of the delay of decades before people wake up to abuse in society, mentioned above.
Isa Manteqi - March 1, 2011 at 6:13 pm
Yes Isa, we are talking about decentralizing authority. ‘True’ democracy works best in smaller entities such as city states, where each citizen can stand up and be accounted for. Each one functions as a unit of economic, social and cultural ‘production’ – not as an incoherent, easy manipulated mob.
Large scale democracies just don’t work as is evident in non-Westernized societies. There is probably a vast gap in understanding what true freedom entails. Japan, Taiwan and Korea have very fragile governments. India, touted as the largest democracy is beset by the the extreme urban rural divide. The Asian, African and South American continents don’t have the wherewith to extract themselves from their conundrum of high unsustainable populations and yet provide a semblance of the Western ideal of democratic governance.
History started with the founding of agricultural city-states; then kings came, saw and conquered to build empires and these morphed into nations we see today. Is the human race actually doing any better than 5,000 yrs ago? I think not. Tribalism is easier to handle in small quantities, since the nature of Man is just that.
C.L. Familiaris - March 1, 2011 at 8:08 pm
Democracy to the Western powers is election/vote, freedom and human rights to rule and govern people in all nations.
The Western Powers are the so called developed rich nations representing about 10% of people in the world. It is their freedom of choices and their rights to dominate the rest 90% of the people. The rest of the world, i..e 90% simply do not have the freedom of choices except under their dominations. Therefore, Western’s concept of democracy is selfish, narrow, misleading, unfit, incompatible, unjust and unfair to the rest 90% of the people of world. The only choice for the rest of the world is to liberate them from the hegemonies and domination by the West.
rightways - March 2, 2011 at 12:25 am
Er, democracy is afterall a very Greek (Athenian) concept.
Perhaps you should read up what the ancient Greeks were up to. It has changed over the centuries. Yes, it is a mess – but if practiced properly, it is the best out of a myriad of choices. Democracy as understood and envisaged by Sophocles, Pericles et al, is not the democracy the world cynically practices now.
However, authoritarian rule so beloved by Eastern potentates or despots of any type is definitely NOT about freedom nor individual human dignity. There is no such thing as a benign despot – LKY, Deng Xiaoping included.
That is why we are discussing ‘Tribalism’ in all it’s varied manifestations and in-glory.
C.L. Familiaris - March 2, 2011 at 1:33 am
“It is their freedom of choices and their rights to dominate the rest 90% of the people”
————————————————–
Run that by me again? Me go no university and have difficult time understanding this statement.
semper fi - March 2, 2011 at 2:27 am
Rightways did one too many mental gymnastics and now find himself tied in a knot — with his nose smelling up his own ass.
Mr Bean - March 2, 2011 at 3:37 am
Democracy and freedom can mean different thing to different people.
A case in point, take for example Afghanistan, the triabalism of the Talibanism ( their philosophy of total exclusion from the rest of the world because they claim, theirs is the religion par excellence ie : not polluted ), to them democracy & freedom is the extreme on the side of the extreme !
They want EXTREME freedom ( democracy is a western notion, so they rather not be ” polluted” by that ). They cherish total freedom, although it is difficult to comprehend what total ” freedom ” they are talking about.
Translated into human actions & conduct in their everyday life, there must be no formal western-style education, women in burqah must be completely hidden from view of men, no driving, no going to school…cannot be working to earn livelihood, despite their men as the bread-winner completely neglecting or abandoning their obligations as fathers to the many children they bring forth into the world… etc, etc, etc….
Yes real total freedom in complete exclusion or isolation…in order that their society be shielded from ” pollution ” due to exposures….
A Utopian condition one might say, as an expression of freedom to be cherished !
Abnizar7 - March 2, 2011 at 9:23 am
PS
Yes, complete freedom to do nothing !
Abnizar7 - March 2, 2011 at 9:30 am
Education (a holistic one of arts, science, technology and religion) together with the notion of ‘choice’, i.e. human freedom and conscience has to be incalcated before democracy can be attempted.
Literacy by itself is inadequate and parochial. The notion of Utopia (simultaneously meaning both ‘good place and no place’) and Shangri-La is due to ignorance, stagnation and Tribalism.
It is entirely possible that “90% of the world’s population” are morons. Perhaps rightways is speaking as King Croesus. He needs to converse more with Solon.
C.L. Familiaris - March 2, 2011 at 10:55 am
The Western powers have the ‘freedom to actions’ in addition to choices. Do they allow you to vote/elect their masters, are you capable like them? Think about it!
Look,
West weighs military action on Libya!
http://newscri.be/link/1381554
Will Libya be going the way of Iraq or Afghanistan?
http://right-waystan.blogspot.com/2011/03/will-libya-be-going-way-of-iraq-or.html
http://rightways.wordpress.com/2011/03/02/will-libya-be-going-the-way-of-iraq-or-afghanistan/
Some still living in the past with flowering English, look like illiterates, think feudal ways, behave like the running dogs as Jeffrey Lim said earlier.
rightways - March 2, 2011 at 12:41 pm
“It is their freedom of choices and their rights to dominate the rest 90% of the people”
Me oso no go university. The statement is of course generalization but can anyone tell if it is utterly wrong? (Perhaps wrong choice of words?). North America (NA) and Europe population is around 5% and 12% of world population. Europe is ideologically divided between the West and East, a simple arithmetic to cut it by half (East Europe around 400 mio / Europe 830 mio) would give West Europe (WE) a 5% to 6%, which we add up (NA+WE = The ‘West’) would be around 10%. If the topic here is about democracy, then the statement may simply mean the ‘West’ is trying to dictate the term of democracy, they want to have the final say and definition of what is democracy. In this perspective, I don’t see the statement is wrong.
CLF wrote plenty on democracy, meaning to say there are various version and form of democracy. I dare not say large scale democracy don’t work because USA is quite large. And I am also a bit hesitates to tell culture and belief system hold back democracy as Mencius (Confucius 4 books) do have element of democracy (If interested, google Tu Weiming, Yu Yingshih) and Taiwan is a democratic society. Therefore it is not necessary to adhere to the Western notion of democracy.
That said, I am in the opinion that the rest of world 90% democracy still has much to be desired, for instance, a lack of freedom of speech and rule of law, which are significant aspects to gauge democracy.
HuaYong - March 2, 2011 at 4:02 pm
Hua Yong, right, 10% is a generation.
semper fi, that was a generally speaking
Abnizar7, is rightly said that democracy and freedom can mean different thing to different people.
When we talk about the West, it includes Japan though they are the East!
“Democracy” must be inclusive of Mencius (Confucius 4 books), communist, not just capitalist like Taiwan, US, UK …….of anti communism ….
Some just blindly copy everything from the 10% of the developed rich who dominate 90% of the poor people!
Do they allow the 90% people to vote/elect their 10% masters to serve the rest 90% of the like poor you & me?
rightways - March 2, 2011 at 5:28 pm
C.L. Familiaris,
The Western powers have the ‘freedom to actions’ in addition to choices. Do they allow you to vote/elect their masters to serve you? Are you capable like them or one of them?
Look, West weighs military action on Libya!
http://newscri.be/link/1381554
Will Libya be going the way of Iraq or Afghanistan?
http://right-waystan.blogspot.com/2011/03/will-libya-be-going-way-of-iraq-or.html
http://rightways.wordpress.com/2011/03/02/will-libya-be-going-the-way-of-iraq-or-afghanistan/
Some still living in the past. They can write with flowering English, but look like illiterates, think feudal ways, behave like the running dogs, as Jeffrey Lim said earlier.
rightways - March 2, 2011 at 5:34 pm
Correction:
Do they the West 10% people allow the 90% people to vote/elect their masters to serve the rest of world’s 90% of the poor like you & me?
rightways - March 2, 2011 at 5:58 pm
Yes Hua Yong, USA is ‘quite large’.
Democratic according to the rule of law and freedom of speech? Much better than many, but not in entirety.
It depends then on the meaning of democracy as i stated before. The ancient Greeks saw it as personal freedom to act according to their conscience and of personal liberty under a proper set of Laws. The ancient Chinese too, believed in the same things. Things of course don’t work out as intended as soon as motives became ‘impure’. Tribalism in all it’s manifestations, remains my definition of the Christian concept of the “Original Sin”, even though the theologians out there will skin me alive. We must somehow root it out from our psyche and value systems.
My hypothesis is that City States are in much better position to uphold ‘Democracy’ as per this definition. I’m no futurist, but that’s the way i think the world will eventually evolve, centuries after we are dead and gone. Provided nothing catastrophic happens to the human race. That would be the ideal “Fate” of Mankind.
BTW, i’m an ‘Existentialist’ Christian, so i really can’t see the relevance of ‘Feudalism’ and ‘running dogs’ by rightways, who doesn’t seem to get my drift. To me Time is unidirectional as far as we can perceive, but history is apt to repeat itself. What we learn today must adapt and change into something better. Not go back to it’s nascent nastiness. That is the meaning of “Get a Life..”
C.L. Familiaris - March 2, 2011 at 11:22 pm
CLF / rightways,
Get a life = We should recognize and learn from history. But there is no need to be imprisoned by history.
City States = better education and reasonably level of wealth
So the question remain, does democracy lead to City States or City States lead to democracy? Is there any causal link between the two? What is the best model for countries that are with huge population such as China, India and Indonesia?
I don’t think anyone have a solution/answer yet, so shall save for our future discussion. Future means if Din wrote something about this at a later time.
HuaYong - March 3, 2011 at 10:38 am
HuaYong, C.L. Familiaris,
The trouble is that for Christians and Chinese illiterates critical of China and they claimed like Chinese experts are just misleading and incredible!
rightways - March 3, 2011 at 12:39 pm