02 February 2007

Democracy in the Middle East

Democracy will not work in Iraq, Iran, or any other Middle Eastern country. Here's why:

1) Democracy is a western idea. The only democracy in the Middle East is Israel because most Israelis are of European descent. Many who live in Israel today are descendants of Jewish people who fled from Nazi Germany during WW II. And even some of those who actually fled are still alive today. But they came to Israel with a western mindset and worldview.

2) Democracy is a product of the Enlightenment, which prizes and champions individual autonomy. It was purely a western phenomenon. The Middle East has not experienced movements such as the Enlightenment and Modernism. Middle Eastern cultures prize the collective. A person's identity is determined by the identity of the community, not by who he/she is or what he/she accomplishes. Exertion of any kind of individualism is taboo. Everything a person does is for the benefit of the collective, not the individual. This is why concepts such as human rights and equal opportunity are foreign to Middle Eastern people.

3) Many Middle Eastern people have noticed that western-type democracy has led to individual emptiness and meaninglessness. Middle Easterners live lives that are full of meaning and purpose because individuals are swept up in the mindset of the collective. In other words, they don't try to "make something of themselves". They are very content with who they already are.
From the Studios of at

4 comments:

CKG said...

I agree completely. In fact, in my American Government class we go over this. When I teach I never try to impose my views, so what I do is give them information about Iraq's history, the Sunni/Shia split, and the formation of our government and the students are asked to think critically if democracy is the best thing for them/will it work? Personally, I just don't see it.

3:01 PM
Xian Chick said...

you (as always) rule.

i've missed you, but am back with a new blog -- http://christian_meditations.blogspot.com

please come visit me and debate whether or not people who commit suicide go to heaven or not.

xo

xian chick

4:32 PM
Anonymous said...

Middle Easterners live lives that are full of meaning and purpose because individuals are swept up in the mindset of the collective. In other words, they don't try to "make something of themselves". They are very content with who they already are.

I am having a hard time comprehending meaning and purpose being found in some of the more oppressive mid-eastern religion. Especially for women. I hope that you hear my tone as sincere.

8:08 PM
Doug Hoag said...

Thanks for all of the responses. Amie brings up a good point that I really don't how to answer. I also don't understand the oppression of women in some Middle Eastern religion. How could that possibly be meaningful to an individual if she is constantly under subjugation?

I'm sure there are exceptions to the generalities in my original post, but I still maintain that democracy will not be viable in the Middle East. The only solution I see that will work for Iraq is the tripartite proposition put forth by the Commission on Iraq.

Here's an interesting question to ponder: Is it possible to have a Middle Eastern version of democracy, and if so, what would it entail?

3:52 PM

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