Democracy, democratization and ideological conflicts/polarization in the contemporary muslim societies
Democratic peace theory assumes that Muslim societies would become better off if they democratize. The democratic experiences in Muslim societies such as Algeria (1991), Palestine (2006-2007), Iran (2009), Turkey, Egypt, etc. suggest that democratization of the Muslim societies has resulted in id...
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| Format: | Conference or Workshop Item |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2010
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| Online Access: | http://irep.iium.edu.my/23099/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/23099/1/pp282.pdf |
| Summary: | Democratic peace theory assumes that Muslim societies would become better off if they democratize.
The democratic experiences in Muslim societies such as Algeria (1991), Palestine (2006-2007), Iran
(2009), Turkey, Egypt, etc. suggest that democratization of the Muslim societies has resulted in
ideological polarization within Muslim societies and division of Muslims into supporters of secularism
and proponents of political Islam. The Islamists-seculars relation radicalizes: (1) when the advocates of
political Islam are prevented from participating in the political process and capturing power through
democratic institutions and (2) when the advanced Western democratic states cooperate with nondemocratic
secular elites of Muslim societies. The view that corruption, poverty, low literacy rate,
tribalism, etc. may shed lights on possible reasons for failures of democracy in the Muslim world appears
underestimating the reality. It does not explain the correlation between West’s economic aids to and
political cooperation with selected governments of the Muslim world. It also does not explain the
relationship between state or military’s intervention in, for instance, a relatively economically advanced
Turkish society that enjoys high literacy rate. Academics have often neglected to investigate the
relationship between philosophical dimension of democracy and philosophy of life prevalent in the
Muslim world. Institutional and philosophical approaches to democracy and democratization are
inseparable. It appears that democratization of Muslim societies in the image of Western liberal
democracy is difficult. Yet, the institutional approach to democracy provides a common ground for
cooperation between Islam and the West. The destabilizing role of democracy can be moderated if the
debate between the Islamists, the seculars and the West focuses on issues that are human properties
irrespective of religion, ethnicity or language. |
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