Armat Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 Hi everyone.Lately some repeated thoughts cross my conscious regarding Iraq, which has also wider implications.Can democracy be imposed?Or democracy involves from social political environment stem from a particular culture and society, which desire it.I may venture out and say that Iraqis are perhaps generations away from desiring true democracy as long as strict Islamic traditions get more precedence then basic fundamental desires for freedom.I believe it was a fatal error on Bush administration to assume rather arrogantly that Americans can impose democracy in Iraq.I am going back to my question -Can democracy be imposed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sip Posted August 20, 2003 Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 While a regime like Sadam's is in place: absolutely not. When there is no regime in place, then a lot of things can be made to happen. Is it like flipping a switch? Of course not. Can democracy be imposed in general? Sure why not. What will happen specifically in Iraq? ... I have no idea. I never understood a single word that has come out of Bush's mouth. I also get very nervous when he talks ... I just get this really bad feeling in my stomach wondering what (if anything) is really going up in his head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armat Posted August 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2003 Can democracy be imposed in general? Sure why not. What will happen specifically in Iraq? ... I have no idea. This may sound politically incorrect but my gut feeling is that democracy cannot be imposed on people whose traditions in the past never experienced it. Mere financial incentives are not enough to motivate people but rather a desperate desire for freedom but how is freedom defined in the Middle East is fundamentally different then in the west. For example in the true democracy religion and state must be separated where as in the Middle East religion takes front sit and its moral codes overbear on society in turn erodes basic human rights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azat Posted August 21, 2003 Report Share Posted August 21, 2003 ...I also get very nervous when he talks ... I just get this really bad feeling in my stomach ... Sip, are you sure that is not the Chinese buffet food causing those feelings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sip Posted August 21, 2003 Report Share Posted August 21, 2003 No he's worse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DominO123 Posted August 21, 2003 Report Share Posted August 21, 2003 Hi everyone.Lately some repeated thoughts cross my conscious regarding Iraq, which has also wider implications.Can democracy be imposed?Or democracy involves from social political environment stem from a particular culture and society, which desire it.I may venture out and say that Iraqis are perhaps generations away from desiring true democracy as long as strict Islamic traditions get more precedence then basic fundamental desires for freedom.I believe it was a fatal error on Bush administration to assume rather arrogantly that Americans can impose democracy in Iraq.I am going back to my question -Can democracy be imposed? Democracy should never be imposed if the people to whom you are imposing it does not want democracy, because democratically they wish non-democracy. If on the other hand a people want democracy and can't obtain it, democracy should be imposed upon the dictator, never upon the people. The problem in this cases, is that when a dictator leave his people in the dark, the people is in no position to know what is best to them... the only way to fight against that is by education, democracy will just come next, first you give water to the flower, and watch it grow, you can't force a flower to grow, when it is time, and when you gave it what it needs, that would happen next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasun Posted August 21, 2003 Report Share Posted August 21, 2003 Democracy should never be imposed if the people to whom you are imposing it does not want democracy, because democratically they wish non-democracy. If on the other hand a people want democracy and can't obtain it, democracy should be imposed upon the dictator, never upon the people. The problem in this cases, is that when a dictator leave his people in the dark, the people is in no position to know what is best to them... the only way to fight against that is by education, democracy will just come next, first you give water to the flower, and watch it grow, you can't force a flower to grow, when it is time, and when you gave it what it needs, that would happen next. I strongly agree with this. Domino, finally you start making sense this week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vava Posted August 21, 2003 Report Share Posted August 21, 2003 Domino always makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJ Posted August 21, 2003 Report Share Posted August 21, 2003 It is a bit entertaining to follow the confused train of thought of this thread… Democracy by definition means imposition … of the will of the majority on the minority. In view of this, the question “can democracy be imposed on the people” is a little bit of an oxymoron as it sort of asks whether the will of [the majority of] people can be imposed on the people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axel Posted August 21, 2003 Report Share Posted August 21, 2003 I think what was meant is "imposed by external powers". If so, "imposed democracy" indeed amounts to an oxymoron (contradiction). But that is not what was meant by MJ if I correctly follow his false reasoning. pleonasm is the word he should be using. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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