Middle East
Role of the Non-Arab States post-Arab Spring
Name: Chua Chee Keong
Matriculation Number: A0085762W
Module: PS2255
Discussion Group: E2
Question Number: Q4
One cannot help but notice the cognitive bias in Western views of the Arab Spring.
The apparent focus has been on clamours for democracy and how the democratic ethos has finally permeated a hitherto impenetrable region. Even President Barack Obama, in his speech before congress, lauded the efforts of the Arabs in advocating democracy in their respective countries (The White House, 2011). It is undeniable that the central tenet of the
Arab Spring has been the desire to eradicate despotic regimes and to replace them with legitimate governments, backed by free and fair elections and which respects citizens’ rights and freedom- lynchpins of democracy. However, insufficient attention has been accrued towards the rise of Political Islam and the underlying role of Islamic groups in bringing out the Arab Spring. Those who acknowledged such a fact only do so with trepidation, worried more about how Iranian-style theocracy might be instituted throughout the Arab world than how religion can coexist effectively with democracy (Cline 2013). As William Aviles (2009) posited, “Receptivity towards democracy in Arab and Muslim societies is often accompanied by deeply held religious beliefs”. In the Arab world, most Muslims express their strong sense of religiosity and view the Shari’a law as the basis of the law of the land (Pew Global Survey
2010). Hence, there is a need to search for a model system which accommodates religious and democratic ideologies amicably. It is through such a context where the role of the non-
Arab States, namely Turkey, Iran and Israel becomes salient. Each of these countries’ political system represents a prototype which can be emulated or adapted within the Arab context. Some may argue that Israel does not have a predominant Muslim population and
thus,
Name: Chua Chee Keong
Matriculation Number: A0085762W
Module: PS2255
Discussion Group: E2
Question Number: Q4
One cannot help but notice the cognitive bias in Western views of the Arab Spring.
The apparent focus has been on clamours for democracy and how the democratic ethos has finally permeated a hitherto impenetrable region. Even President Barack Obama, in his speech before congress, lauded the efforts of the Arabs in advocating democracy in their respective countries (The White House, 2011). It is undeniable that the central tenet of the
Arab Spring has been the desire to eradicate despotic regimes and to replace them with legitimate governments, backed by free and fair elections and which respects citizens’ rights and freedom- lynchpins of democracy. However, insufficient attention has been accrued towards the rise of Political Islam and the underlying role of Islamic groups in bringing out the Arab Spring. Those who acknowledged such a fact only do so with trepidation, worried more about how Iranian-style theocracy might be instituted throughout the Arab world than how religion can coexist effectively with democracy (Cline 2013). As William Aviles (2009) posited, “Receptivity towards democracy in Arab and Muslim societies is often accompanied by deeply held religious beliefs”. In the Arab world, most Muslims express their strong sense of religiosity and view the Shari’a law as the basis of the law of the land (Pew Global Survey
2010). Hence, there is a need to search for a model system which accommodates religious and democratic ideologies amicably. It is through such a context where the role of the non-
Arab States, namely Turkey, Iran and Israel becomes salient. Each of these countries’ political system represents a prototype which can be emulated or adapted within the Arab context. Some may argue that Israel does not have a predominant Muslim population and
thus,
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