The Arab Spring and Democracy

The Arab Spring is causing me to rethink a lot of ideas that I have taken for granted, for example one of those ideas is our understanding to democracy. Usually people here in America don't know what it is, but because it is so ingrained into the American culture (thanks to the forefathers) often people don't think about it; simply it is there and there isn’t a need to question it.

The Arab Spring and America taught me that the only purpose behind democracy is for the same people to live under one roof without trying to kill each other. In a nutshell, democracy is needed so the same nation avoid sliding into a destructive civil war. What I found that the mass majority (even many here in the West) mix elections, rule of law, justice, stability, prosperity, minority rights, and good governance with democracy.

In my opinion, all these good things in a civil society are the products of democracy. Once democracy has been established (with the help of the ballot boxes of course) a stable society most likely will emerge. For this stable society to maintain its stability, it is required to have the society's respect for the rule of law which insures that the laws are applied equally (more or less) amongst all it citizens. That is why the involvement of judiciary and legislators are critical at this point so the society at large gets the perception that the society they are living in (more or less) treats them fairly. As the society becomes more stable and the rule of law takes hold, a ripe environment will be created for economic activities and slowly the society shall prosper.

If democracy is need by a society to avoid civil war, then that leads me to conclude that the idea of a civil war is a deterrent for all groups to be participate in the political process, and they all should recognize that in a civil war no party wins. Recognizing that a civil war is the alternative becomes the checks and balances that forces all groups talking and refraining from using violence to reach the seat of power.

Therefore, democracy it is not an evil idea that aims to exclude Islamists (or others groups) from the seat of power; it is there for all people to benefit and thrive in a society that solves its internal problems without resorting to violence or intimidation.

Although these are simple ideas, however, they are very hard to implement in real life (especially for the ones who have not known it). I have concluded that as any group gets closer to the seat of power, power magically entices them to use force, intimidation, or violence to coheres other groups (let us call it fascism tactics for short). If fascist tactics are not checked (by some kind of a civil or governmental institutions like judiciary or even a threat of a competing power), then slowly the society shall slide into a civil war.

Any one who visits America will be shocked of the abundance of guns here, and how gun regulations are loose. Because of so much violence here, I thought they are all have gone mad for allowing this to happen. On the other hand, when you ask an Americans why it is so important for them to hold on to their guns, the first thing they answer that they are afraid of their government (also from their army as well). Frankly, I thought it was ridiculous that the strongest and most powerful democracy the earth have ever known would say such a thing! Then after the coup in Egypt (which is not a “coup” in the eyes of some) on July 3rd, I recognized what Americans are referring to. Both major political parties here know it well, if one of them even thinks about grabbing the seat of power by force, then the whole country will implode into a civil war. That is why they are paranoid about involving their army into their political manners. Even if a US Army General thinks about involving his political views into the political process (like what General Sisi recently has done), both parties will chew him or her a live. It is amazing how both parties are united on such matters (same goes for freedom of speech and expression here as well). It should be noted that this is the case not because Americans are so wise; they have learned it the hard way. The American people talk and behave as such out of experience; sadly no one is born to respect democracy. In 1862, the American north and and south had fought each other in one of the most destructive wars ever at the time.

Some may say there are many Islamists groups believe in the idea of gaining power through violence and intimidation (also fascists tactics), and I agree those should be excluded from the political process. On the other hand, that should not imply that we should not entice them into the political process. For the society to be stable, it requires all parties involvement in the political process else a stable society may not evolve.

Some may wrongly conclude that Democracy is a panacea or the wholly grail; no. By far democracy is not perfect, society will not prosper overnight; justice may take decades to be achieved. However, democracy is a self-correcting social system that will allow it to correct itself over time and it changes as the majority changes the way it thinks. For example, over ten years ago it was not even thinkable for Americans to accept gay marriage, however, now it is a reality. That is what I love about the America system, it is able to change itself without destroying itself first, that is the key.

The way I see it, we Arabs are in desperate need of democracy, we need it like the way we need air and water. Without democracy, there is no way we shall survive as a society. For 1400 years, we have been inheriting tyranny and sadly we have passing it on to the next generations, and I have concluded that only democracy can break this miserable cycle. It should be noted that democracy isn't a Western idea, it isn't a colonial idea; it is not there to dispossess us from anything, and above all it is not anti-Islam; simply it is a human idea that makes us tolerate each other's difference; it will make us respect each other's opinion. For the life of me I cannot understand why many of us Arabs think this an anti-Arab or even an anti-Muslim idea. Democracy will allow us all to build a society that is not based on intimidation as we have learned it for the past 1400 years. I am full of hope that this is the true meaning behind the Arab Spring, and I am full of hope that it shall come to its fruitful conclusion at some point in the near future.

*Editor and founder of PalestineRemembered.com