Kesher Talk

Is Arab democracy an oxymoron? The Middle East Intelligence Bulletin examines the many reasons why democracy and Arab culture seem to be like oil and water, and concludes:

. . . the major problem with conventional explanations for the lack of democratization in the Arab world is that none of the independent variables examined above are unique to the region and most vary greatly within it - they are either present to a similar degree among democratizing states outside of the Middle East or, in the case of oil revenue, present only in some Arab countries.

Since endogenous cultural and economic conditions in the Arab world cannot account for its highly anomalous pattern of modern political development, it is important to consider whether exogenous factors have played a role. In order to determine whether external conditions can account for the discrepancy, one must first establish whether governments in the Arab world have faced external conditions relevant to democratization which differ significantly from those faced by their counterparts elsewhere in the world.

Part II of this study, as yet unpublished, will consider these factors.

posted by Judith @ 6/11/2003 09:01:22 PM