Don't you think you are carrying this a bit too far and attributing your argument to things I have not said.
The United States system of Democracy was adapted from the English system of Government. Instead of King, we elect a President. The Bi-Cameral House Structure was adapted from Parliament: The House of Commons-House of Representatives/ House of Lords-The Senate. In a society where there is a religious social structure that enforces such differences in access and freedom of movement between men and women it seems quite a leap to embrace the concept that "every citizen has his say" as you have expressed. " And many people in many parts of the world dislike democracy because it > undermines many of their existing structures of power-- say, dictators, > militarists, religious fanatics and fascists." That may be the way you and I view their way of power, but that may not be how how other people in many parts of the world may see it. They may see our government and the way it conducts itself as imposing our way of power. Lastly, I never said that I thought Iraq was better under the rule of Saddam Hussein. One must remember who it was that empowered Saddam Hussein in the first place; the US government under Pres. George H.W. Bush to use Iraq against the Iranian government. I am certain many Iraqis recall that and perhaps do not trust anyone from our government to do right by them this time either. -Wilma On 1/10/05 1:54 PM, "Brian Siano" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Wilma de Soto wrote: > >> As far as I can tell, most of the Islamic world has been governed by >> Sultanates and Caliphates throughout their history. Their society has >> traditionally been strictly socially structured and their politics >> intertwined with their religion. >> >> > Most of the Western world hasn't been very different. Democracy is a > relatively recent concept in human history, i.e., less than 300 years > old. Prior to that, we were governed by kings, emperors, dictators and > churches. > > But as I'd suggested in my ealier post: if we were having this > conversation in 1770, and you told me that revolution against the Crown > was unworkable because the colonies were "culturally disinclined" to > have this theoretical thing called democracy, you;d be making the same > argument as you're m,aking now. In fact, you'd have better historical > evidence to stand upon. So why are you making this argument now? > >> Democracy is a largely Western European concept. Those influences were >> prominent in the development of the Republic of South Africa, and Nicaragua >> (even though "caudillismo" was a cultural by-product of independence from >> Spain throughout most of Latin America) and of course in the US colonies. >> >> > Democracy is, at root, a system of government based on the principle > that all citizens deserve a say in the policies of their nation. It > doesn't seem to me that its cultural origins as a "Western European > concept" make it any more or less valid or desirable. You might as well > dismiss the novel as an art form because its "Western European" origins. > Or argue that jazz and movies aren't wanted in other countries because > both were ore or less invented in Imperialist America. Or, dismiss > relativity theory as "Jewish physics" because of Einstein's ancestry. > >> Whether or not you or I think it is worth it to establish a Democracy there >> is not at issue. Unfortunately, many people in that part of the world >> consider Democracy to be very closely aligned with Imperialism and >> Colonialism. >> >> > And many people in many parts of the world dislike democracy because it > undermines many of their existing structures of power-- say, dictators, > militarists, religious fanatics and fascists. > >> If the insurgency is not enough for you to see that we are not wanted there, >> perhaps you would present some evidence that people are waiting anxiously >> for a Democratic type of government in Iraq. >> >> > Are you making the argument that the people of Iraq _preferred_ > governance under Saddam Hussein? > > > > > ---- > You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the > list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see > <http://www.purple.com/list.html>. ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
