Democratization in the Middle East - Essay Example

Democratisation in the Middle East There has been growing interest over the years in the Middle East region. It can simply be described as a region where the US interests are high, the demand for military forces is high and conflicts are recurrent. Furthermore, development in the region in the long term is expected to have a key impact on global stability and prosperity, influencing a wide range of factors in which the US as a super power is highly interested in (Fawcett, 2009:15). Changes in all these dimensions will shape the internal and external factors influencing democratisation in the ‘greater Middle East’. For the purpose of this paper, this includes states in the Persian Gulf, North Africa and the Levant. This essay looks into the external and internal barriers affecting democratisation in the Middle East. The main factor impacting on democratisation in the Middle East is the erosion of state control and insecure societies. The main characteristic of Middle East societies can be felt in a number of levels. First, where governments are concerned about their survival and external exploitation, where religious and ethnic groups are focused on maintaining their position in society and where individuals are concerned with the stability of states. The concept of failed states that is common in sub- Saharan Africa also has a negative influence on the democratisation process and may have a significant impact on the future of the Middle East (Henry, 2009:13). The other point that can be noted with relation to this point is the absence of a civil society. Countries that have a well developed civil society are characterised by democratisation and stability. There have been increasing pressures in the region that is observed in various states Turkey, Algeria, Saudi Arabia and Egypt for improved democratisation and transparency. The information revolution is seen as a leading factor of political instability in the region and as a result it impacts on the democratisation process in a negative way. This is owing to the fact that the improved infrastructure from the Persian Gulf to North Africa facilitates the effectiveness of opposition movements and terrorists (Hinnebusch, 2006:373). For example, Islamists in Tunisia and Saudi Arabia use recent developments in communication to fight against the current regimes. The cumulative effect of this development is a decline in democratisation. The second challenge to the process of democratisation is the forces of Islam and nationalism. These are known as the two most influential forces in the region. The development of Islamist factions has serious implications on the democratisation process in the region as well as relationship between Islam states and the rest of the world (Halbert, 2012). For example, countries such as Algeria where Islamist regimes exists but are in their early stages may experience a long- term struggle that impacts of democratisation and relations with other states globally. Thirdly, the concept of democracy is unfamiliar in the foundations of Islam which is the main religion in region (Brown and Shahin, 2013:45). In other terms, democracy is irreconcilable with the Muslim religion. This can be supported by the fact that among the number of countries with an Islamic majority only twenty three percent of them have democratically elected regimes. In fact, only one Muslim nation across the world is considered as democratic, Mali. Islam is therefore largely viewed to be a barrier against democratisation (Hinnebusch, 2006:375). For example, most of the teachings in conventional strands of the religion give a conservative mindset to individuals in Middle East countries. For example, in countries such as Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan treat women as minorities and deny them the right to vote and this goes against versions of contemporary democracy. Additionally, there are some Islamic traditions that can result to the acceptance of the authoritarian rule that is prevalent in the region. Fourthly, the existence of oil reserves in the Middle East has a direct impact on the growth of democratisation in the region. This is because governments in these countries are able to fund expensive public expenditure plans that are implemented at minimal or no taxation to the citizens. These are aimed at reducing any social pressures that would result into calls for greater accountability for dictatorial regimes. Research shows that the discovery of oil in Qatar and Kuwait made governments less answerable to the demands of the citizens (Halbert, 2012). It can thereby be concluded that oil is the other limiting factor towards democratisation in the Middle East. Demographic forces, migration and urbanisation have also been observed to have a negative impact on democratisation. Although population growth has considerably declined across the globe, the situation is different for the Middle East. Most countries in the region have experienced a sharp increase in population that has resulted into a declined in GNP per capita (Halbert, 2012). It can also be observed that the number of individuals under fifteen years in likely to increase in the coming years. This kind of demographic change is likely to have destabilising effects towards democratisation in Middle East countries. This could result into increase migration into urban areas and creates more problems for existing regimes. It is clear that in many Middle East countries political stability is formed on the basis of relationships among clans, families and landowners which could be a major factor slowing down democratisation in the Middle East. The other aspect that acts a barrier to democratisation in the Middle East is the practices and culture of Muslims. For example, taking a Middle East country and comparing to another with a similar GDP, it is clear that Middle East countries ‘underachieve’ with regards to holding peaceful and democratic elections (Halbert, 2012). However, it is important to note an effective and competitive electoral process does not necessarily reflect democratisation. For example, countries such as Turkey have some of the most competitive elections in the world yet, have high cases of human rights violation. The other possible justification could be the colonial legacy, cultures and traditions that are linked to Arabs in Middle East countries. For example, in most Middle East countries there is a common ‘small group’ instead of ‘large group’ trustworthiness that is linked to the ideology of tribalism (Halbert, 2012). The division of citizens in these societies makes it harder for the development of strong political parties or a vibrant civil society which are the major constructs of the democratisation process. Moreover, boundaries in Middle East states are considered to be a fundamentally artificial idea whereby no attention is paid to the citizens within leading to establishment of factions among the population and this is one of the barriers to democratisation. Dilemmas in economic growth and stability in these countries have led to high propensity for conflict and an uncertain economic future (Carothers and Ottaway, 2010:34). High levels of unemployment, external debt and unemployment lead to instability in the region and this has negative impacts democratisation. Countries including Yemen, Lebanon, Algeria and Afghanistan are the most important oil producers that have experienced a reduction in GNP in the past decade as a result of political instability and fluctuations in oil prices (Halbert, 2012). Other factors inhibiting on democracy in the Middle East include interference by the US that seems to have a vested interest in the region. The presence of the US troops in these countries has led to instability and democratisation cannot be achieved. In summary, evaluating the prospects of democratisation in the Middle East is a difficult task. One should be cautious of generalising the modern protests and the reforms that they bring about. Furthermore, it can be concluded that most monarchies in the Middle East region are unwilling to give their power to democratic institutions. There have been positive steps towards democratisation and with the growing pressure from the international community; this could be the start of a positive journey towards democratisation References Brown, N.J. & Shahin, E. (2013) The struggle over democracy in the Middle East: regional politics and external policies, Routledge. Carothers, T. & Ottaway, M. (2010) Unchartered journey: promoting democracy in the Middle East, Carnegie Endowment. Fawcett, L. (2009) International relations of the Middle East; Oxford University Press. Halbert, R. (2012) Prospects and challenges for the development of Middle Eastern democracy, Retrieved from http://www.e-ir.info/2012/05/03/prospects-and-challenges-for-the-development-of-middle-eastern-democracy/ Henry, C.M. (2009) The clash of globalisation in the Middle East, Oxford University Press. Hinnebusch (2006) ‘Authoritarian persistence, democratisation theory and the middle east; and overview and critique.’ Democratisation, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 373- 95. Read More