- MB in International pressPolitical Islam Studies
- October 6, 2006
- 21 minutes read
Can we have Arab Democracy without the Islamists?
This month’s lecture was delivered by Neil Hicks on Wednesday, September 27th, 2006, at the Center for the Study of Islam & Democracy (CSID). This event is available for viewing on the internet at this link
Can we have Arab Democracy without the Islamists?
Summary, by Lauren Torbett
CSID President Dr. Radwan Masmoudi opened the panel by commenting on the current discourse of Arab democracy and the role of Islamists in the region. He described this discourse as a vicious circle in which Arab regimes use the Islamist movements to justify the lack of democracy, while the lack of democracy strengthens Islamist movements and radicals.
Neil Hicks addressed the question in the title of the panel by responding that we cannot have democracy without the Islamists. They are an important political force in the region, so it is inevitable that they will play a role in democratic politics. Western countries see this as a problem because they are fearful of Islamists gaining power, and Arab regimes stoke these fears because it is in their interest to do so.
Next Hicks discussed the problem of illiberal, authoritarian tendencies within some Islamist parties. These parties do not always promote democratic principles and the international human rights, specifically regarding the rights of religious minorities and women. He clarified that this is not exclusively a problem of Arab and Islamic countries; this is generally a problem in transitional democracies around the world. Elections are not enough to guarantee democracy, since populism can easily be exploited by demagogues. We must differentiate between democratic processes and measurable human rights outcomes, since protection of human rights is not guaranteed by elections. He argued that a democracy that does not result in more rights and freedoms is a false democracy that gives this system of government a bad name.
Therefore, we should use internal and external safeguards to hold governments accountable to international human rights standards. Internal safeguards include a free press, strong state institutions like an independent judiciary, and civil society groups. External safeguards include regional and international organizations; for example, the European Union accession process in
Amr Hamzawy started his remarks by suggesting that we reframe the debate on Arab democracy. The major challenge to democracy in the Arab world is not the Islamists; rather it is the autocratic, authoritarian ruling elites. He recently returned from a trip to
According to Hamzawy, there are three main ways in which ruling elites obstruct democratization:
1. The interdependence between ruling elites and state institutions, where the ruling party has a monopoly over the state.
2. The role of the state security apparatus and its connection with the regime.
3. The lack of a culture of democracy, which is an outcome of authoritarian rule.
Next he discussed the Islamist movements in the region and identified three patterns:
1. Where Islamists participate legally in politics in
2. Where Islamists participate in different ways when they are banned or repressed in Egypt &
3. Exceptional cases where Islamists have dual identities as resistance movements and political movements in
He argued that there was a clear shift in the region after the recent war in
About Neal Hicks: Neil Hicks is Director of the Human Rights Defenders Program at Human Rights First, in
About Amr Hamzawy: Amr Hamzawy is a Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for Peace, and a noted Egyptian political scientist who previously taught at
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Radwan A. Masmoudi and Amr Hamzawy, Washington Post