Democracy Discourse in the Arab Region

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The democracy discourse in the Arab region illustrates an ongoing controversy that deals with the question of the extent to which elements of democratic rule and values ​​are compatible with Islamic teaching. In the course of the Arab Spring , the debate became increasingly dynamic, as Islamist forces were democratically elected in Tunisia and Egypt and thus the discourse on the values ​​of an Islamic democracy - only temporarily in Egypt due to the 2013 military coup - could be experienced in practice.

Positions within the discourse

Characteristic of the democratic discourse in the Arab region is its ideologically charged and polarizing effect, which is echoed not only within, but also outside of Arab societies and science.

On the one hand, researchers propose the thesis that Muslims either turn away from Islam or have to reform it in order to be part of the modern world. Prominent representatives of this tendency are Samuel P. Huntington , who sums up that Islam does not admit to individualism , which is a constituent component of a liberal democracy , any opportunities for development in relation to the community and thus individualism is subordinate. Furthermore, Francis Fukuyama explains that Islamic law (Sharia) has illiberal principles, so that no democracy can arise. Rather, Islam promotes an anti-democratic-authoritarian attitude, which explains the stable authoritarianism within the Arab world.

Furthermore, fundamentalist currents of Muslim clergy and militant Islamists reject democracy with the argument that it contradicts God's commandments and is merely a western product. Islam, on the other hand, is understood as an all-encompassing and unchangeable system that regulates private and public affairs. This legislation can be derived from the unchangeable Islamic law, so that through its complete implementation a community emerges that is superior to all other systems. Prominent proponents of these theses included Sayyid Qutb and Abul-Ala Maududi . But the discourse also developed integrative-critical approaches. Proponents of the compatibility of Islam with democracy, on the other hand, argue that Islamic law is not a monolithic structure and can therefore always be interpreted by Muslims in their specific historical and socio-economic contexts. An important element of this line of argument is the shura . This is a historically applied consultative process of decision-making that Islamic scholars classify as either mandatory or desirable, depending on the reading. So the essence of democracy is laid out in the essence of Islam. Famous representatives of the obligatory view include Hasan al-Turabi , Rached Ghannouchi and Khalid Muhammad Khalid . Following on from this, the political scientist Muqtedar Khan sees the task of an Arab-Muslim democracy in adapting Islamic law in such a way that it is compatible with contemporary democratic values ​​and international legal standards. The theoretical controversy must also lead to more intense debate within the Arab communities about a new type of self-government that is accepted by conservative and liberal Muslim forces within Arab society. Not only would the dogmatic interpretations of Islam stand in the way of democracy in the Arab world , that discourse would gain additional explosiveness from the prevailing socio-political conditions, the failure of states and the negative role of foreign powers that would have contributed to an environment that is not conducive to the development of democracy. That mixed situation therefore requires a differentiated argumentation as well as a close interlinking of theory and empiricism.

Empirical research in the Arab Barometer

In addition to the theoretical discourse, several empirical studies of the political attitudes and values ​​of residents of the MENA region have been carried out in recent years , in particular through the Arab Barometer, with the aim of empirically mapping the social discourse. It showed that there is also a debate about democracy and its values ​​in social reality. In the last survey in 2012, 79% of those questioned agreed with the statement that democracy is the best of all possible systems. Overall, however, there has been a slight decrease in approval ratings after the events of the Arab Spring.

Presumably this is related to the first democratic experiences after the Arab Spring, especially in Egypt and Tunisia. While in 2011 68% and 56% respectively saw a democratic system as best suited for their own country, approval in the third wave of the Arab Barometer fell to 40% and 42%.

One reason for this can be found in the rather instrumental understanding of democracy as a “means to an end”. Respondents to the Arab Barometer define democratic goals, both politically and economically, such as reducing income inequality and ensuring basic services . Western democracies, which are usually characterized by a high economic level, serve as models. This is linked to the existence of a democracy and thus a democratic system is seen as desirable for one's own country. Since, at the same time, a narrow majority of the population regards economic problems as the most urgent, the ability to solve these problems is in the foreground for the acceptance of democracy as a political concept. After the economic situation and the security situation had deteriorated in both states as a result of Islamist attacks after the revolution , this also had an overall effect on the acceptance of democracy as a political system, since the system could not meet the expectations placed in it.

criticism

Based on the high approval ratings, it can be assumed that democracy also has extensive support in the Arab world. However, critics argue that the focus is not primarily on political freedom rights , but only on the desire for economic upswing and stability. Dictatorships are therefore only to be rejected if they increase inequality in the population and are unable to guarantee basic supplies. It is therefore doubted that democracy as a concept can be easily transferred to the Arab world and that the stated approval ratings actually reflect support for a democratic concept that is consistent with the Western one. In this context, the methodological approach of the Arab Barometer can also be criticized, which asks about support for democracy without specifying the concept beforehand. Another point of criticism of the finding of widespread support for democracy is the widespread approval of the influence of religion on politics. A good third of those surveyed in the Arab Barometer support the participation of religious people in political decisions. Although approval has fallen over the past few years, religion is perceived by Western researchers as the defining characteristic of Arab politics and an incompatibility with Western values ​​such as freedom , equality and, ultimately, democracy is concluded.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Amaney Jamal, Marc Tessler: The Arab aspiration for Democracy . In: Larry S. Diamond, Marc F. Plattner (Eds.): How People View Democracy . The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore 2008, pp. 133 .
  2. ↑ Lukman Thaib: Discourse on Democratic Values ​​in the Islamic Political System . In: Online Journal of Social Sciences Research . Volume 1, Issue 4. Kuala Lumpur 2012, p. 94 .
  3. ↑ Alexander Flores: Islam and Democracy. Reality and opposing discourses . In: Ahmet Cavuldak, Oliver Hidalgo, Philipp Hildmann, Holger Zapf (eds.): Democracy and Islam. Theoretical and empirical studies . Springer Verlag, Wiesbaden 2014, p. 32 .
  4. ↑ Muqtedar Khan: democracy and Islamic law. 2007, accessed November 13, 2016 .
  5. ↑ a b c Arab Barometer III. Retrieved March 31, 2017 .
  6. ↑ Khalil Shikaki: Has Arab Support for Democracy Declined Due to the Arab Spring? Ed .: Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research. USIP, Ramallah, Washington DC 2014.
  7. ↑ Arab Barometer II. Accessed March 31, 2016 .
  8. ↑ Fares Braizat: The Meaning of Democracy. What Arabs Think . In: Journal of Democracy . tape 10 , no. 4 , p. 133 .
  9. ↑ Amaney Jamal, Marc Tessler: The Arab Aspiration for Democracy . In: Larry S. Diamond, Marc F. Plattner (Eds.): How People View Democracy . The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, S. 130 f .
  10. ↑ Khalil Shikaki: Has Arab Support for Democracy Declined Due to the Arab Spring? Ed .: Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research. USIP, Ramallah, Washington DC October 31, 2014.
  11. ↑ Amaney Jamal, Marc Tessler: The Arab Aspiration for Democracy . In: Larry S. Diamond, Marc F. Plattner (Eds.): How People View Democracy . The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, S. 131 .
  12. ^ Samuel P. Huntington: The clash of civilizations? Foreign Affairs . tape 72 , no. 3 , 1993, p. 40 .