Democratic transitions in the Arab world

Résumé du document

At the end of the Cold war, the political models of modernization different from democracy were totally discredited. Democracy, defined by Ghassan Salamé as an ‘arrangement institutionnnel qui permet de garantir la participation des citoyens au choix de leurs dirigeants par la voie électorale', was considered as a universal model. As the ex-communist countries of Eastern Europe adopted democratic institutions, it was thought that the Arab world would realize its democratic transition as well. Nevertheless, as they remained essentially authoritarian states, the Arab countries appeared as a kind of ‘exception' to democratization in the world. Thus, the idea that the Arab-Muslim world was opposed to democracy emerged. Despite this apparently resistance, democracy is a notion which is occupying today a more and more important place in the political discourses in the Arab world. Furthermore, several Arab countries such as Yemen, Lebanon, Kuwait, Jordan, etc., developed relative democratic practices. As a result, we can wonder if the Arab world is really an exception regarding democracy. How can we explain the Arab global resistance to democratic practices? How and why did democratization emerge in some Arab states? What's the meaning of democratic transition within the Arab world?

Extraits

[...] That's why the western model of democracy appears difficult to apply to the Arab world. What is more, the major part of the Arab middle class and of the Arab bourgeoisie is intrinsically linked to the State in so far as their interests coincide with the state's ones. Indeed, the Arab bourgeoisie has realized a pact with the state: if it gives up any political claim, it will be free to realize economical benefits. Furthermore, many citizens of the middle class are linked to the government or employed in the state's administration. [...]

[...] Democratic transitions in some Arab countries are therefore as instruments and not as an ideology. A. Democratization as an instrument to resolve internal and external conflicts First of all, in some Arab countries have emerged a democratic pact or consensus to resolve a conflict between the different political groups. Indeed, in a situation of political struggle which cannot evolve or be resolved, democratic transition is used as a pact which gives to each political party a chance to be represented and maybe to become the major political force in the future. [...]

[...] The Islamist discourses seem to adapt the western notion of democracy to the Arab world. In front of this insufficient democratization, the United States have abandoned the ‘Arab exception' policy and built a new project of democratization for the Arab world, especially since 9/11. To implement democracy in the Arab countries, they intend to establish partnerships with the NGO's. In December 2002 was created the Middle East Partnership Initiative. It aims to fund pilot projects to settle a public sphere for debate, free media, to improve women's rights, etc. [...]

[...] Democratic elections were organized in 1991, won by the FIS. Even of the democratic process was stopped after, the financial crisis lead to a need of legitimacy and therefore to the beginning of a democratic transition. However, we should note that the link between financial crisis and democratization is not mechanical. The authoritarian state may probably try to resolve the economical crisis by other means, such as the spending on deficit very used in the Middle East. Furthermore, some taxes, such as taxes on international trade or taxes on the companies' incomes, do not suppose an important political legitimacy. [...]

[...] ( Democratic transition meets many difficulties and resistances in the Arab world. That's why some people speak about a real ‘exceptionalism' of the Arab states concerning democracy. Nevertheless, the Arab world is not totally impervious to democratic practices. II. ‘Democracies without democrats': an instrumentalization of the democratic process and discourses by the Arab political groups Ghassan Salamé completes his definition of democracy that I gave in the introduction by giving a larger definition which seems to be more applicable for the Arab world. [...]