DEMOCRACY: NOT A UTOPIAN IDEA I must suggest that democracy has at times been over rated. It has proven successful but not perfect. It eventually depends upon the few (the so called elected) to be responsible and answerable. No doubt prima feci the option to choose for one self seems to be a very good one, however democracy in a state where people don’t know what is “best” for them doesn’t hold much ground. Let me explain. For example recent success of Hammas in local elections in Palestine. Or consider a population where there are lets say 70 % population under 18. (North West African countries do have such population ratio) Thus a huge portion of the society is underrepresented I think that also answers the failure of democracy and success of dictatorship in those countries. Let’s consider another scenario where well over half the population is illiterate. You can not expect an uneducated person to understand political ideologies, philosophy he would be too busy making his own ends meet, improving his own life or both, taking care of his family than to worry about politics and understand the importance of his voting rite . So under such circumstances e.g. emotional public speakers successfully mislead public.
It is suggested that Rule of Law is more important then the form of government. It could be argued that a responsible government be it authoritarian would be more helpful for the people of the land. One could clearly see that then interest of the West in particular the USA's policy to impose democracy to the Muslim world is entirely motivated by self interest. Further more the policy of USA can (will) have serious repercussion as the democracy might lead to exact opposite results (then to what USA and the West want) namely a conservative and for that matter anti- west government. One could give the exmple of Palestine with its anti Israel policies.
Ok, then lets consider a model, “let those who have shown by their success to be superior minded decide what’s best for others until the population comes to a position where it can truly understand the importance of democracy and its position”.(This is what happened in UK, until early 20th century only 3% of the society were eligible to vote( the higher class ??), society was moving UK had been a great power they had tremendous economic growth and the political system was developing and gradually with the increase in public awareness and education this percentage increased and now generally every citizen above 18 is entitled to vote.) Now it might not be an Ideal solution. Nothing in reality can be perfect but these observations lead me to the fact that democracy though a “beautiful thing” is not entirely flawless. Success of political system does not depend upon the perfection in its ideology but manner in which it is implemented and the way it is run. A political system be it democracy, depends on the people which it will govern and how they adapt to it and accept it.