Despite allegations of fraud, the new Iraqi constitution has been approved, moving the country a step further away -- hopefully – from the current chaos. This is probably good news (though not quite as good as the Bush administration would like to portray the situation), but the obvious question hasn't really been asked by most people: is this democracy?
Considering that the constitution for the new Iraq has been changed up to almost the last minute, that the level of accessibility to unbiased information in the country isn't great for obvious logistical (and in part cultural) reasons, and that most people have not been able to read the document, can we count this as a triumph of democracy? Only in minimal part. A majority of Iraqi clearly want some constitution, presumably reflecting the hope that this is a necessary step towards a true democracy or, more modestly, away from the daily bombings and random violence. Let's hope these latter minimal objectives will be reached soon, but Democracy (with the capital D) is a long way off. Then again, that institution hasn't been faring particularly well even in the United States in recent years, so what right do we have to expect it to make giant leaps in war-devastated Iraq?
Rationally Speaking: an archived blog about science & philosophy, by Massimo Pigliucci
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Iraq has a constitution, good. But is it democracy?
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Although the new constitution should be a good sign, I'm not very optimistic about the situation there, because I think democracy is something that has to be achieved from within the society, and not imposed and forced by an invading power. Maybe post WWII Japan was an exception? Well, I don't know enough of that history to judge it.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, democracy is part of culture, and significant cultural changes are slow, I guess. It may hopefully come a day in our life times when we'll see a Middle Eastern democracy (besides Israel).
J
To claim that Iraq is a democracy, or that it is remotely close to being a democracy is ludicrous. They had to close the borders, shut down travel within the country - the cities were armed camps (with Americans setting up and guarding polling places). The country was in lockdown for several days just to hold an election - this is not democracy - it is just another pipedream being passed off as reality by the Bush administration
ReplyDeleteDo they even want a democracy, or a republic?
ReplyDeleteDo they even want a democracy, or a republic?
ReplyDeleteGood question, what do they want? My humble opinion is that they want to be something like Iran (maybe even join them? no, too much) - but they have to pretend they don't, with US forces and influence still there. But I'm not specially geopoliticaly savvy, so I might be saying BS. My opinion anyway, I'll be glad to be hear arguments to the contrary.
Cheers
J
PS - I don't know exactly what you mean "democracy OR republic". These two things are not mutually exclusive.