| Wandel Durch Wahlen?: Wahlen, Demokratie Und Politischer Wandel in Der Arabischen Welt Contributor(s): Hartmann, Christof (Author) |
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ISBN: 3895005398 ISBN-13: 9783895005398 Publisher: Dr Ludwig Reichert OUR PRICE: $14.25 Product Type: Paperback Language: German Published: June 2007 Annotation: In stark contrast to most other world regions, democracy has not taken root as a form of government in the Arab World. Hardly any of the Arab states can be considered a democracy in the sense of a regime where the population has a chance of deciding who is going to govern them. Free and fair elections are indeed one of the main criteria for the establishment of a democratic system of government. The book presents an overview over the electoral experiments in all Arab countries since their independence and analyses the main reasons for the absence of democratic elections. Three problem areas limit the relevance of elections for political change in the Arab world: Universal Suffrage and citizenship is still denied to parts of the population, especially to women; some political actors are hindered by legal means or by repression from standing as candidates or parties in elections (especially the Islamists); the elections are not decisive for the access to government, but only for the composition of parliament and other consultative bodies with limited competencies. The book outlines both the real electoral change that has occurred over the last decade in some Arab countries but remains sceptical with regard to the substantial improvements in democratic rule which have been obtained from elections. It is also critical of attempts by foreign democracy promoters to push towards a rapid electoral democratization of Arab countries. In the absence of strong political parties and a democratic civil society, most elections will indeed lead or to a legitimization of autocratic regimes or to the victory of non-democratic forces at the ballot box. German text. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - History | Middle East - General - Social Science | Islamic Studies |
| Dewey: 324.630 |
| Series: Heidelberger Centrum Fur Euro-Asiatische Studien E.V. (Hecea |
| Physical Information: 128 pages |
| Themes: - Cultural Region - Middle East |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: English description: In stark contrast to most other world regions democracy has not taken root as a form of government in the Arab World. Hardly any of the Arab states can be considered a democracy in the sense of a regime where the population has a chance of deciding who is going to govern them. Free and fair elections are indeed one of the main criteria for the establishment of a democratic system of government. The book presents an overview over the electoral experiments in all Arab countries since their independence and analyses the main reasons for the absence of democratic elections. Three problem areas limit the relevance of elections for political change in the Arab world: Universal Suffrage and citizenship is still denied to parts of the population, especially to women; some political actors are hindered by legal means or by repression from standing as candidates or parties in elections (especially the Islamists); the elections are not decisive for the access to government, but only for the composition of parliament and other consultative bodies with limited competencies. German description: Im Unterschied zu anderen Landern haben sich bis heute in der arabischen Welt weder die Demokratie als Form politischer Herrschaft noch freie Wahlen durchsetzen konnen. Allein die jungsten Ereignisse im Irak zeigen, wie schwierig es ist, einen friedlichen politischen Wettbewerb - basierend auf freien Wahlen - aufzubauen. Das Buch gibt zunachst einen Uberblick uber die unterschiedlichen Wahlexperimente auf lokaler und nationaler Ebene in der arabischen Welt. Im zweiten Teil analysiert es die wesentlichen Grunde fur das Fehlen demokratischer Wahlen. Drei Problemkreise schranken dabei die Bedeutung von Wahlen ein: Teilen der Bevolkerung, beispielsweise Frauen, bleibt das Wahlrecht verwehrt, wichtige politische Krafte, wie die unterschiedlichen islamistischen Gruppen, kandidieren nicht oder werden verboten, und schliesslich wird bei Wahlen zumeist nicht uber die Regierungsgewalt, sondern uber parlamentarische Organe ohne Entscheidungsgewalt oder beratende Ausschusse abgestimmt. Trotz dieser vielfaltigen Einschrankungen lassen einige Staaten, unter anderem Agypten, Jemen, Jordanien, Marokko und einige Golfstaaten, mehr Partizipation und politischen Wettbewerb zu. Zu den Ursachen fur diesen Wandel zahlen neben innergesellschaftlichen Veranderungen auch der zunehmende internationale Druck, die massive externe Demokratieforderung und die Verbreitung neuer Medien. |