Iraq not conducive to democracy

Last week, I wrote about the trials and tribulations of trying to export American-style democracy to other lands.??

I promised more on the reasons why our version of democracy is not easy to export.?? Although it is hard to cite precise conditions conducive to starting and sustaining democracy, my experience and research suggest at least four such conditions.

First, it helps to have a reasonably literate society.??Democracy, by definition, requires popular participation in the political process.??For voting to be meaningful, it should be based on an informed citizenry that can read, write, and express their views and concerns.??However, the presence of a literate society is no guarantor of democracy, as the rise of Adolph Hitler in Nazi Germany amply attests.??Due to other, direr circumstances, Germany was ripe for Hitler in the aftermath of World War I.

Second, it helps to have a reasonably prosperous society, with a reasonably equitable distribution of wealth.??Extreme gaps between the ‘haves and have-nots’ create serious barriers to starting and sustaining democracy.??Moreover, concentration of economic power and concentration of political power tend to go hand in hand in denying democracy.??Conversely, some degree of capitalism, such as private property ownership and a favorable climate for a market economy tend to fuel the engines of democracy.

Third, it helps to have the right social conditions.??If a society is rent with social disunity and discontent, democracy is likely to be dead on arrival. If contenders for power are fragmented along racial, ethnic or religious fault lines ‘??or even all three, as in Iraq ‘??meaningful discussion, debate and compromise are next to impossible.??Instead, bombs and bullets trump ballot box results.

Fourth, it helps to have the right ideological conditions.??Experts define ‘ideology’ as ‘a consistent pattern of beliefs about political values and the role of government.’

These individual beliefs stem from family, school, religion, community and a sense of connection with the larger culture.?? If these conditions contribute to a widespread acceptance of democratic norms and behaviors, the favorable result is likely to be what is called ‘democratic consensus.’??It doesn’t mean we agree on everything.??It does mean we agree on the fundamental things.??It also means we accept our national motto: ‘E Pluribus Unum’ out of many, one.

These four conditions conducive to starting and sustaining democracy do not exist in any perfect sense in any society, including our own. However, they are useful indicators of the degree to which some semblance of democracy is likely in a given country or region.

Unfortunately, applying these four conditions to the harsh reality of circumstances on the ground in Iraq does not inspire confidence that anything resembling democracy is likely to emerge there anytime soon.

What we need to consider now is a new, more realistic foreign policy toward Iraq-one that deals with reality-not just wishful thinking.??Maybe the ‘September Report’ from Ambassador Crocker and General Petraeus will point President Bush and Congress in the right direction.

Thomas B. Vaughn is an instructor at Motlow College and co-host of the radio show ‘Viewpoints,’ which airs on WCPI 91.3 FM.