Democracy in the Middle East
Despite the widespread belief that democratisation is the most effective way to bring about change, conventional ideas of democracy often fail to address its most important features. These are often associated with the failure to achieve certain socio-economic and political outcomes. The democratisation process involves many challenges, and the orientation of democracy towards these must be constantly renewed and informed by reflection on current real-world issues. Many studies have focused on the quality of democratisation, and have found that major problems persist in less-developed countries.
The process of democratisation cannot be imposed from outside. It requires time, and in many cases, favourable conditions may not exist. Japan, for example, was a highly homogeneous nation at the time of its democratisation. Germany’s experience illustrates that a process of democratisation takes time to consolidate. In contrast, a country like East Timor, which sometimes has been portrayed as a success story, may be in need of significant support and encouragement to continue on its path toward democracy.
The underlying definition of democratisation is quite simple. It is popular sovereignty, a process of contestation between citizens, and a means of power transfer through peaceful means without armed conflict. Many analysts argue that the process of democratisation is not a single event, but rather a process. In such cases, it can take years for it to reach its maturity. And it is only through this process that democracy will be truly effective.
In order to bring about democratisation, there must be favourable changes within a society. There must be a high degree of social and political maturity for democratisation to be effective. Furthermore, the majority of citizens must have the ability to understand and respect democratic values and practices. In addition, a lack of development can result in procedural democracy. Aristotle’s theory has the potential to bring about democratic change, but it must be supported by a significant portion of the population.
The Muslim Middle East has been one of the least democratised regions in the world. Yet the pressure on these regimes to democratise has failed to produce any meaningful results. While no Muslim country has ever met the essential criteria of liberal democracy, many of the leaderships of these countries have actively promoted democratic reforms within procedural frameworks. However, it is unclear whether such efforts are sufficient to bring about lasting change. The evidence suggests that democratic reforms in these countries are not a sufficient means to create a truly democratic society.
Democracy is the ideal form of government, and the number of democracies worldwide has increased by five times since World War II. From ten countries in 1945, the number of countries that qualified as democracies had increased by 40 by 1975. There are approximately 120 democracies in the world today. This increase was largely due to the break-up of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. A democratic country can still have some elements of liberal democracy, but it should not have all three of these.
Despite the widespread belief that democratisation is the most effective way to bring about change, conventional ideas of democracy often fail to address its most important features. These are often associated with the failure to achieve certain socio-economic and political outcomes. The democratisation process involves many challenges, and the orientation of democracy towards these must be constantly renewed and informed by reflection on current real-world issues. Many studies have focused on the quality of democratisation, and have found that major problems persist in less-developed countries. The process of democratisation cannot be imposed from outside. It requires time, and in many cases, favourable conditions may not exist. Japan, for example, was a highly homogeneous nation at the time of its democratisation. Germany’s experience illustrates that a process of democratisation takes time to consolidate. In contrast, a country like East Timor, which sometimes has been portrayed as a success story, may be in need of significant support and encouragement to continue on its path toward democracy. The underlying definition of democratisation is quite simple. It is popular sovereignty, a process of contestation between citizens, and a means of power transfer through peaceful means without armed conflict. Many analysts argue that the process of democratisation is not a single event, but rather a process. In such cases, it can take years for it to reach its maturity. And it is only through this process that democracy will be truly effective. In order to bring about democratisation, there must be favourable changes within a society. There must be a high degree of social and political maturity for democratisation to be effective. Furthermore, the majority of citizens must have the ability to understand and respect democratic values and practices. In addition, a lack of development can result in procedural democracy. Aristotle’s theory has the potential to bring about democratic change, but it must be supported by a significant portion of the population. The Muslim Middle East has been one of the least democratised regions in the world. Yet the pressure on these regimes to democratise has failed to produce any meaningful results. While no Muslim country has ever met the essential criteria of liberal democracy, many of the leaderships of these countries have actively promoted democratic reforms within procedural frameworks. However, it is unclear whether such efforts are sufficient to bring about lasting change. The evidence suggests that democratic reforms in these countries are not a sufficient means to create a truly democratic society. Democracy is the ideal form of government, and the number of democracies worldwide has increased by five times since World War II. From ten countries in 1945, the number of countries that qualified as democracies had increased by 40 by 1975. There are approximately 120 democracies in the world today. This increase was largely due to the break-up of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. A democratic country can still have some elements of liberal democracy, but it should not have all three of these.