Culture, Time, and Democracy

A few months ago, my family thought about taking our annual vacation in Tunisia. Then some idiot posted a video on Youtube.  Those plans went out the window.

 My honors thesis dealt with how communist dictatorial policy influences economic transition in central-eastern Europe. While writing the paper, Tunisia and Egypt revolted - the beginning of the so called ‘Arab spring’. It occurred to me that the policies of dictators in those countries could influence the future in a similar manner.

I mentioned this in the paper. Accounting for the differences in religious organizations and social media the situation might not be so different.

But, those two changes make all the difference.  In Poland, the Catholic Church fomented the Solidarność movement during martial law.  All religion was outlawed in Albania. The economy continues to flounder there. The absence of social media made opposition harder to form.  Instead people rallied around figureheads. They could lead a country through the beginnings of transition.

One of the students in my program is from Tunisia. We had the opportunity to discuss the current situation in her country. She told me that since the revolution the Islamist party gained power in Parliament. They were the only party with any vision after Tunisia’s Arab Spring.  In Egypt, Islamic factions also figure prominently in elections.

A Democracy is ruled by the will of its electorate. Religious institutions played a positive role in giving the people a voice during some post-communist transitions. In northern Africa, the opposite seems to be the case.  

My Tunisian colleague described the current atmosphere in her country as uncertain.  With the increasing power of fundamentalists, many are looking abroad.

“The revolution left us with hope. But they have done nothing” she said.

 Both regions successfully overthrew brutal regimes . In Eastern Europe, religion allowed some nations come together and rise up.

In North Africa, the internet organized the rebellion. Religious fundamentalists are all that remains to offer a way forward. I worked in Maldives during its first democratic election. The opposition won.  Since then, I’ve heard the same to be true.

I’m not saying that the Muslim world can’t achieve democracy.  Many Americans are quick to criticize the Arab World for its politics. They forget that it took the United States over a century, two constitutions and a civil war to create a stable republic.

In Poland, democratic policy making arguably existed since the middle ages. It may have allowed them to throw off three centuries of partitioning, war, and communism so quickly.

Just because a country has moved toward democracy does not mean it will become a utopia. It's  a process. One that takes hundreds of years.

I hope that those in all parts of the world will keep this in mind. Especially me.