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Plenary
Discussion 1: Culture and Democracy
Chair:
Bronislaw Geremek (Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Poland)
Presenter: Mohamed El-Sayed Said (Deputy Director, The Al-Ahran
Center for Political and Strategic Studies, Egypt),
Ousmane Ngom (Leader of the Liberal Party, Senegal)
Before
opening up the topic to the two presenters, Mr. Bronislaw
Geremek, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs in Poland,
shared some of his own views on the subject. He focused
on the universality of democracy and how different societies
can democratize without losing their culture. Democracy has
become a subject of political debate in many countries
because it challenges the prevailing political
culture.
After
the September 11th attacks, the discussion of democracy
became even more contentious. In light of recent events,
terrorism showed what could happen with the erosion of democracy.
The international community condemned terrorism because it
is antithetical to democracy and respect for human
life. Democracy promotion is even more important in the wake
of September 11th. Promoting democracy in
the Islamic world is a formidable challenge.
Religion
is important in defining the political framework. The European
tradition has been to separate religion and political power.
Religion was one of the important elements in democracy mainly
because it changed the traditional rule of law that was controlled
by those who held power, by empires, and by the Church.
In the aftermath of the reformation protest, individual choice
of religion was granted to people. In the further evolution
of democracy, the secularization of power turned into western,
liberal democracy.
Politics
and religion should have a strong connection. Democracy can
also be seen as an alternative to religion. In most
Islamic countries religion and politics cannot be separated.
This is wholly different from the situation in most
western democracies. All democracies respect the rule
of law. The rule of law also is respected and institutionalized
in Muslim traditions, making it compatible with democratic
rule.
In the
discussion of culture and democracy, we need to discuss the
political culture of democratic regimes and education
for democracy, not only in the school systems but in the larger
political world. We need to discuss the importance
of human life and dignity in the study of democracy. The intellectual
challenge in discussing culture and democracy is defining
the mass culture, the role of mass media in the form of democratic
public life and presenting culture from the past and the present.
In dealing with these questions, the first presenter will
speak about political culture and democracy in the Arab world.
Mohamed
El-Sayed Said
An important
element in studying the relationship between culture and democracy
is the understanding of modern media culture. Mass media is
instrumental in democratization. Media can spread stereotypes
of bizarre images of culture. We really need to look
at the sources of science in the modern media, which can shadow
our understandings of cultures.
Democracy
is a form of culture. It can spell out its own culture. The
democratization of pre-industrial countries like India shows
that industrialization is not a pre-requisite for democracy.
In fact, we need to explain why some countries, like India,
are ripe for democracy while others are not. Democracy could
have taken root if it proved successful in resolving the problems
of our age. Arab and Muslim nations, particularly older
nations like Turkey aspired to democracy in the 19th
century. It is not culture that prevents the promotion
of democracy, it is the existence of other factors such as
colonial and imperial legacies so common the developing world.
In order
to ensure a functioning democracy, we have to work for the
sheer enjoyment of democratic practices and deal with issues
of culture. We also need cultural revitalization.
Democracy is an easily used word that obscures the essential
definition of the term. For example, communist countries use
the term ‘people’s democracy’ in implying that communism is
democratic. We need universal morality and structure.
Democracy cannot survive in socialism. There is a need
to dismiss other ideologies that support supreme cultural
notions that reject international law. These nations are contradictory
in the democratic spirit. There is a need for autonomy
and the integration of collectivities in many countries.
The moral individual is important and essential for the prevention
of decay, as in the case of Russia.
We should
reject the idea of a direct relationship between capitalism
and democracy. There should be a distribution between
democracy as an ideal and the management of democracy.
Culture should be abstract and the state, the representation
of democracy. With respect to management, there
needs to be different ways to control democracy and expand
it worldwide. We do not need to evolve in the same way
as western states. For state building, we can look to
Africa’s unique experience with development of democracy.
Tribal culture can be accommodating to democracy. Also,
we need to address how to promote democracy in poverty-stricken
nations.
Humanity
must come from the moral obligation to recognize the fundamental
rights of people.
Ousmane
Ngom
The second
speaker was Ousmane Ngom, the leader of the Liberal Party
of Senegal. He first affirmed that the rights of humankind
are the core of democracy, justice and world peace.
The notion of a “just” rule of law is central to the idea
of democracy and human rights. To illustrate his views, Ngom
denounced apartheid in South Africa because racial discrimination
contradicts the values of democracy.
He proceeded
to question the notion of national democracy. As Geremek also
noted, democratic values are customized and adjusted to the
needs of a particular political culture. National democracy
is evoked by cultural characteristics. But Ngom warns that
anything can be justified by political leaders who are motivated
by selfish desires. This may strip away the freedom of the
people, which could eventually lead to conflict, thus deviating
from the democratic ideal. Again citing African history,
Ngom described how the continent suffered under low levels
of democracy due to its historical constructs of colonialism
and imperialism, and the lack of economic development.
It is only in the latter part of the 20th century
that Africa started to seriously embrace democracy, establishing
values such as the freedom of movement and speech. For example,
South Africa today is working to abolish fully the last remnants
of the apartheid system, and Senegal is fighting to establish
a multiparty democratic system.
To further
the development of democracy in places such as Africa, Ngom
stressed the importance of the citizenry, in both the political
and the civil sphere. A democratic culture is not achieved
by statesmen alone, but in tandem with the “commoners.”
It is thus necessary to promote a democratic education system.
Only through democratic political intervention can true democratic
consolidation come about. Thus, Ngom affirmed, government
and non-governmental forums should collaborate in the policy-making
process.
Along
with political intervention, economic development is just
as significant to further enhance democracy. Economic
development must be distributed evenly or this may lead to
social instability, and eventually intra-state conflict.
Ngom, examining the African case, advocate the importance
of Africa taking part in the globalization trend in both the
political and economic spheres. This would facilitate
a movement of ideas and goods across borders. He advocated
democratic and humanitarian intervention in developing countries.
Positive African values, Ngom added, would then be integrated
with global trends to promote political democracy and economic
liberalism.
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