Review Sheet Numbers 1 and 2

DEMOCRACY IN MENA
1. Larry Diamonds Why Are There No Democracies in the Arab World
-Causes democracy deficit in the Middle East
-Most Common Assumption is that it has to do with Religion and Culture
-Though neither religion nor culture offers a convincing explanation for the Arab
Democracy Deficit
- Author believes it is the perverse sociopolitical effects of being so awash in
petrochemical deposits (The Oil Curse)
-Religion and Culture, Arab views on democracy
-Some Arab populations simply do not like democracy because they do not like the idea
of self-government. Though there are Arabs that do support democracy and it does not vary by
religiosity.
- Jamal and Tessler conclude that Arabs actually value democracy, even if their concern
for stability leads them to want it to come only gradually, and that religious politics nor personal
religiosity do not pose a major obstacle.
-Economic Development and Social Structure: democracy & rentier states
- Arab countries are quite economically well to do to gain and keep democracy so that
isnt the issue
-If economic level is not the problem, it is the economic structure where rentier states
depend on oil and gas to keep their states afloat
-Since the Oil Revenue is so large it increases the power of the state bureaucracy, and
also reduces the need for taxation. Since there is little to no taxation, it gives a less of a reason
for publics to demand representation.
-Authoritarian Statecraft,& the mukhabarat
-Mukhabarat- is the secret police and intelligence apparatus which represses the Arab
people, not allowing them to have a voice or go against the authority of the state.
- political oppositions in the Arab world become divided, suspicious, and torn from
within due to the rule of the authoritarians.
-The Coils of Geopolitics, foreign aid for Arab regimes
-For Non-Oil Regimes, foreign aid is like oil which is another source of rents that
regimes use for survival. Like oil, aid flows into the central coffers of the state and helps to give
it the means both to coop and to repress.
-Western aid makes possible the regimes key political strategy of spending massively on
public jobs without imposing steep taxes.
2. The Economists Back to the Ottomans

-democracys survival in Turkey and the military

-Turkey has many secularist laws such as the no wearing a head scarf when teaching at a
university
- offers the greatest hope for democracy in a Arab state
- Its courts are secular, and its religion is run by a government department known as the
Diyanet.
-debate over Islam and democracy
- Where can we draw the line between religion and the modern state?
-Islam is stuck in a clash of civilizations with the west. Islam stands out as the religion
the brooks the least difference between church and state.
- In some Arab states the Sharia is so strictly interpreted that Muslim woman cant
technically live modern lives.
--the Justice and Development Party priorities since 2002
- When the (AK) people joked like it was electing the Taliban. Under Erdogan the AK
party has occasionally veered off target, but have freed up the markets and stomped out
corruption.
-Wants to modernize the constitution, get rid of the headscarf ban and equality between
sexes.
-New depth to an old split,
-There are two main important arguments about Islam. The doctrinal split between Sunnis
and Shias and how much Islam should adapt to the world.
- Both Saudi Money and Wahhabis believe that nothing of much value has happened to
Islam since the first couple generations of Islam. Wahhabi fought against the worship of tombs
and relics and now his followers fight against television and western clothes.
- Islam cant react to new circumstances in the world. The Koran was given to Nomadic
Tribes
-Martyrs believe that the fail in Muslim countries have been due to the moral
dissoluteness and Secularism. (Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood)
- the Traitors who came up due to the western might and oil money simply believe that
Islam is incompatible with democracy.
3. Geneive Abdo, Islam is Compatible with Democracy
-The fading appeal of militant Islam
Militant Islam has lost its luster and is now being replaced by quietest movements aiming
to address the social, religious needs of Islamic societies.
-the appeal of moderate Islam
-Many Muslims want a government that is Islamic but one in which people has ultimate
say in matters of state.
- Young people want more flexibility in Islam and a new reading of the faith that would
be more relevant to modern times.
-Muslim views on separation of mosque and state

- In the earlier years leaders such as Khomeini believed that the leader (velayat) had
power from g-d and that it shouldnt be challenged by the people. Back then there wasnt really a
separation between church and state.
- In Iran Today there is a public outcry for more democracy and less interference by the
clerics in politics.
4. Sajjad Khan, Islam is Superior to Western Democracy
-Advantages of Islam over democracy
- Western Democratic values are inferior to the political values prescribed by Islam.
- 1.Western politicians judge actions they do in this world according to their own criteria
usually to pursuit the material benefit (Islam has life after Death, so the leaders can be
accountable for their actions)
-2. The analysis of whom the western politicians really serve. They serve the big
corporations not the people
-3. Its not simply the politicians that are involved but it is the entire spectrum.
-4. Corruption is made easier in capitalist societies because not all people follow politics
or adhere to their rules.
-Why Politics is Inseparable from Islam?
-Politics is inherent within the Islamic ideology that it came to solve all problems and
came to address the peoples affairs. The Imam is in charge and he is responsible for his
citizens (Koran).
-Islamic Ideology cant co-exist alongside other ideologies such as communism or
capitalism within the same society.
-Fallacies on Islam & democracy
-The idea that democracy is modern and Islam backward is incorrect. Islamic civilization
carried the banner of human progress and development to unprecedented levels.
- Progress in Europe did leap from the Greeks and Romans to the enlightenment. This
Jump in history misses years of Islamic rule in Spain.
-Democracy is applicable in all places and cultures. It is rather not and the rise of Western
Europe had a lot to do with military colonialism and imperialism.
ISLAM & DEMOCRACY
1- Eric Davis Reflections on Religion and Politics in Post- Bathist Iraq (2007
-relationship between politics & religion
- While a particular religion may require the believer to defend the religion in the event of
an external threat, politics per se is not a condition of membership in any faith.
-When religion intersects with politics, the outcome need not necessarily entail hostility
to members of other faiths.

-Politicization of religion in a xenophobic manner not only entails a deviation from

orthodox interpretations of religion but is usually characterized by a lack of knowledge on the
part of those who formulate radical and intolerant agendas.
2. Kurzman & Naqvi, Do Muslims Vote Islamic?
-Would Islamist parties win free elections?
- If elections were free Islamist parties would not win. As the years go on, less people
vote for these parties. Islamic Parties do worse in free elections rather than less free ones.
3. Shadi Hamid, Arab Islamist Parties: Losing on Purpose?
-If Islamist Groups really chose to win they could win every election but they choose not too.
-is Kurzman & Naqvis argument correct?
-Kurzman and Naqvi wrote that the electoral performance of Islamic Parties have
generally been unimpressive. And that western powers should let go of their paranoia about
Islamists
- Winning is not what the Islamists want, so this argument that western powers should let
go of their paranoia about Islamists is wrong.
-Why dont Islamists try and win all elections?
-Islamists limit their gains because doing too well might invite the wrath of incumbent
regimes.
-They dont need to rule in order to fulfill their original objective.
-Islamist groups privilege self-preservation over political contestation.
4. Elaine Ganley, France Moves Closer to Banning Full Muslim Veil
-impact of French policies on Islamic women
- France doesnt want to give a woman citizenship if she covers her whole body up and
especially the face.
- France believes the Muslim garb is viewed as a gate way to radical Islam an attack on
gender equality and other French values
-A woman wearing something that covers up her face will be subject to a fine.
-Western Europe and growing Islamic influence
- Europes growing Muslim population has bred tension across the continent. Some nonMuslims sense a threat by a foreign culture to their way of life.