The Authoritative Governance in the Middle East And the Process of “Transition to Democracy”

Abstract

During<br />past two decades, “Pass through a democratic status" gave attention by most<br />Middle East analysts. In fact, since the early 1980s, The Middle East and The<br />North of Africa affected by third wave of democratization effects and both<br />state and society felt its impacts. Since, civil society has been promoting and<br />strengthening, from one hand, and sovereign governments gradually withdrawal<br />has begun, from the other. In a number of countries, this civil society<br />strength with weakness and withdrawal of sovereign governments was so that made<br />some analysts optimists to the coming Middle East. However, during the time, it<br />was revealed that the democracy in the states' viewpoints was different from<br />the Middle Eastern citizens' democratic calls. Put it differently, the<br />sovereign political elites sought for a democracy in which there was no changes<br />in power relationships, and participation declined to a quantitative presence<br />in elections - with predictable results - as well. This led the writers and<br />analysts to adopt more real and precise positions to obstacles of democratic<br />transition. To better understanding, one should aware that, like any other<br />social changes, this democratic transient, in each nation and country, requires<br />proper subjective and /or objective conditions to achieve. Proper subjective<br />grounds mean penetration of democratic thoughts and notions among peoples.<br />Besides, Proper socio-economic conditions are very important and necessary;<br />the increased and promoted middle-class<br />and its independence of state is the most important indications of these<br />objective situations. Of course, these two positions is hard to reach, and it<br />doesn't mean that this democratic transition will be occurred so fast and<br />simple, since, as evidently, the historical <br />and cultural background might appear a rigid and hard obstacle - or on<br />the contrary - shortens this process.