http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1966922,00.html?xid=rss-world&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+time%2Fworld+%28TIME%3A+Top+World+Stories%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher
The United States is a liberal democracy that supports the democratic principles of the ability of citizens to freely protest and participate in free elections. However, some democracies, for example, that of Egypt, are more illiberal than the U.S., and do not allow their citizens such freedoms. In the past, the Egyptian government under President Hosni Mubarak, now 81 years old after reigning for 28 years with only one multi-candidate election over his entire term, has stifled political opposition to his regime in order to remain in power, meeting public political demonstrations with “swarms of riot police.” The next election is set for 2011, and Mubarak will either run uncontested himself or set up his son to run as the only available candidate. However, in an attempt to stop an effective monarchial regime change, many young activists are rallying behind Mohamed ElBaradei, a highly respected international figure, as a candidate for the next presidential election. ElBaradei is the former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to curb nuclear proliferation. Although, he has not yet decided to run officially and his campaign will face many obstacles, some Egyptians believe that if elected, ElBaradei would give Egypt a chance for a “real democracy.”
The political situation in Egypt reflects the internal conflict within countries with a populace and government with differing ideologies, one liberal and the other illiberal. Applying Owen’s argument from “How Liberalism Produces Democratic Peace,” a democracy must have political leaders who support the views of the public or those individuals will not remain in power. Egypt is an example of a state in this turmoil. The liberal people are tired of an illiberal approach to their governance. During a period of political unrest, it is logical to assume that the situation in Egypt may be slightly unstable while the ideological balance between the people and their officials is restored.
I like that you tied Owen's article into your analysis of this article. This article illustrates Owen's point that not all democracies are liberal. Egypt is an excellent example of an illiberal democracy. One point that Owen makes in his article, however, is that elites often impose their own illiberal ideas over democracies, making these democracies in turn illiberal. It seems to me that this is what has been happening in Egypt the past 20 years. Egypt's current regime embraces an illiberal approach to democracy, and if ElBaradei runs and is elected, Egypt would have a true chance at democracy.
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