Rule by the people participating on an equal footing via their elected representatives is a worthy concept but, in practice, it is severely flawed—even within so-called democratic nations whose people have been indoctrinated to believe it is the gold standard in governance.
Whether or not democracy works in countries that have embraced it requires study. However, it has been undermined by voter apathy, baby-kissing campaigning politicians who renege on their promises once they are in office and policy gridlock caused by disagreements between the executive branch and parliamentarians, something US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron can attest to.
Moreover, liberal economic reforms do not necessarily translate into economic benefit or equal opportunity. For instance, a United Nations survey some years ago found that more than half of those living in Latin American democracies would gladly accept an authoritarian system able to deliver improvements in the economy.
People in democracies tend to believe they enjoy almost total freedom, even as street cameras record their every movement and governments monitor their communications. Public protest is indeed tolerated, but rarely sways the powers that be. Millions of demonstrators in Britain turned out to protest the Iraq War, their voices ignored by Downing Street.
Freedom of the media is yet another illusion when the corporate media manipulates coverage to promote government spin—and in some cases influences decision-makers. Democracy’s defenders admit it is not perfect but say it is the best there is. There is an argument for that in countries where democracy began as a seed that has taken generations to flower, but China, the world’s second largest economy in terms of gross domestic product, is proof that there is another way. China’s human rights record may be questionable, but when the US is placed under a microscope, its own is little better.
A recent report by Human Rights Watch states that the victims of abuse in the US “are typically the weakest and most vulnerable in US society: Immigrants, racial and ethnic minorities, children, the elderly, the poor and prisoners.” The report goes on to say that “the US incarcerates more people than any other country. Practices contrary to human rights principles, such as the death penalty, juvenile life-without-parole sentences and solitary confinement are common . . . Increasing numbers of non-citizens are held in immigration detention facilities, although many are not dangerous or at risk of absconding.” The US decries child labour in other countries, but hundreds of thousands of children under 16 work on America’s farms, many up to ten hours a day.
Think of America and you think of wealth, opportunity, the ‘American Dream.’ Yet, 46.5 million (one in six) Americans live below the poverty line on food stamps. More than 633,000 are homeless and 47 million are without health insurance. Those forgotten souls have only one dream—survival.
When it comes to western foreign policy, democracy is utilised as a tool to foment dissent among populations in order to overthrow governments unfriendly to western interests or it is waved like the Sword of Damocles over the heads of nations reluctant to fall into step. Democracy has been used as a pretext for invasion and military intervention. America’s democracy champions in the Middle East and North Africa region contend democracy is the path to regional stability and global security. Well how is that working for them?
‘Democratic’ Iraq is bitterly divided and drenched in blood. ‘Democratic’ Afghanistan’s opium harvest is at a record high and it’s poised to erupt into civil war once US troops are withdrawn next year. ‘Democratic’ Libya has a feeble central government and is on the verge of becoming a failed state or splitting into two. A counter-revolution is simmering in ‘Democratic’ Tunisia. The US sought to punish Egypt for failing to live up to its hallowed democratic values, pushing Cairo into Moscow’s arms in the process. Many Iraqis are nostalgic for the ‘good old days’ under Saddam Hussain; Libyans are beginning to ponder on the reality that when Muammar Gaddafi was in charge, they had jobs, social welfare and security. Egyptians increasingly say ‘[Hosni] Mubarak wasn’t so bad, after all’ and hark back to Jamal Abdul Nasser’s era.
The fact—which many may find unpalatable—is that most countries in the region were better off before the US and its allies poked their fingers into the mix, causing economic free fall, sectarian division and bloody conflict.
Democracy is more than a ballot box. It requires an educated population, a separation of powers and democratic institutions. It can only thrive in fertile soil unpolluted by tribalism or religious sectarianism that drive individuals to vote for ‘their man’ rather than the person most qualified for the job. This past decade should stand as a lesson. Democracy cannot be imposed or transplanted. Ultimately, the peoples of the region must struggle through these turbulent times to find their own way. Be it democracy, theocracy or autocracy, that is their choice and theirs alone. Last week, an Egyptian hotel manager told me: “We don’t care about democracy. We don’t know what it is. We just want to eat, work and walk safely.”
Linda S. Heard is a British specialist writer on Middle East affairs. She welcomes feedback and can be contacted by email at heardonthegrapevines@yahoo.co.uk.
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Autocracy versus democracy
Posted on November 21, 2013 by Linda S. Heard
Rule by the people participating on an equal footing via their elected representatives is a worthy concept but, in practice, it is severely flawed—even within so-called democratic nations whose people have been indoctrinated to believe it is the gold standard in governance.
Whether or not democracy works in countries that have embraced it requires study. However, it has been undermined by voter apathy, baby-kissing campaigning politicians who renege on their promises once they are in office and policy gridlock caused by disagreements between the executive branch and parliamentarians, something US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron can attest to.
Moreover, liberal economic reforms do not necessarily translate into economic benefit or equal opportunity. For instance, a United Nations survey some years ago found that more than half of those living in Latin American democracies would gladly accept an authoritarian system able to deliver improvements in the economy.
People in democracies tend to believe they enjoy almost total freedom, even as street cameras record their every movement and governments monitor their communications. Public protest is indeed tolerated, but rarely sways the powers that be. Millions of demonstrators in Britain turned out to protest the Iraq War, their voices ignored by Downing Street.
Freedom of the media is yet another illusion when the corporate media manipulates coverage to promote government spin—and in some cases influences decision-makers. Democracy’s defenders admit it is not perfect but say it is the best there is. There is an argument for that in countries where democracy began as a seed that has taken generations to flower, but China, the world’s second largest economy in terms of gross domestic product, is proof that there is another way. China’s human rights record may be questionable, but when the US is placed under a microscope, its own is little better.
A recent report by Human Rights Watch states that the victims of abuse in the US “are typically the weakest and most vulnerable in US society: Immigrants, racial and ethnic minorities, children, the elderly, the poor and prisoners.” The report goes on to say that “the US incarcerates more people than any other country. Practices contrary to human rights principles, such as the death penalty, juvenile life-without-parole sentences and solitary confinement are common . . . Increasing numbers of non-citizens are held in immigration detention facilities, although many are not dangerous or at risk of absconding.” The US decries child labour in other countries, but hundreds of thousands of children under 16 work on America’s farms, many up to ten hours a day.
Think of America and you think of wealth, opportunity, the ‘American Dream.’ Yet, 46.5 million (one in six) Americans live below the poverty line on food stamps. More than 633,000 are homeless and 47 million are without health insurance. Those forgotten souls have only one dream—survival.
When it comes to western foreign policy, democracy is utilised as a tool to foment dissent among populations in order to overthrow governments unfriendly to western interests or it is waved like the Sword of Damocles over the heads of nations reluctant to fall into step. Democracy has been used as a pretext for invasion and military intervention. America’s democracy champions in the Middle East and North Africa region contend democracy is the path to regional stability and global security. Well how is that working for them?
‘Democratic’ Iraq is bitterly divided and drenched in blood. ‘Democratic’ Afghanistan’s opium harvest is at a record high and it’s poised to erupt into civil war once US troops are withdrawn next year. ‘Democratic’ Libya has a feeble central government and is on the verge of becoming a failed state or splitting into two. A counter-revolution is simmering in ‘Democratic’ Tunisia. The US sought to punish Egypt for failing to live up to its hallowed democratic values, pushing Cairo into Moscow’s arms in the process. Many Iraqis are nostalgic for the ‘good old days’ under Saddam Hussain; Libyans are beginning to ponder on the reality that when Muammar Gaddafi was in charge, they had jobs, social welfare and security. Egyptians increasingly say ‘[Hosni] Mubarak wasn’t so bad, after all’ and hark back to Jamal Abdul Nasser’s era.
The fact—which many may find unpalatable—is that most countries in the region were better off before the US and its allies poked their fingers into the mix, causing economic free fall, sectarian division and bloody conflict.
Democracy is more than a ballot box. It requires an educated population, a separation of powers and democratic institutions. It can only thrive in fertile soil unpolluted by tribalism or religious sectarianism that drive individuals to vote for ‘their man’ rather than the person most qualified for the job. This past decade should stand as a lesson. Democracy cannot be imposed or transplanted. Ultimately, the peoples of the region must struggle through these turbulent times to find their own way. Be it democracy, theocracy or autocracy, that is their choice and theirs alone. Last week, an Egyptian hotel manager told me: “We don’t care about democracy. We don’t know what it is. We just want to eat, work and walk safely.”
Linda S. Heard is a British specialist writer on Middle East affairs. She welcomes feedback and can be contacted by email at heardonthegrapevines@yahoo.co.uk.