movement, movement

I’m in the habit lately of posting a lot of my responses to other people’s blog posts on my own blog these days. The latest (this one) is in response to Ash’s post on Democracy in the middle east. Perhaps its not a direct response, maybe more of an embellishment on my own thoughts on the matter.

I’m kind of on the fence about a lot of these issues. There are so many sides to it and it is such a large situation, much larger than people usually describe it as. For example, someone saying that the only reason the US is in Iraq is for its oil is extremely naive and narrow-minded. Of course it is among the reasons, as the US must protect its interests, but attempting to narrow the entire conflict to one issue like this is absurd.

I think that it would be very interesting to see what would happen if there truly were no western influences on other non-Western countries. Westerners tend to have the mindset that “our” way is the best and we think we should bestow it upon everyone else in the world. I think it a bit arrogant to force democracy on a people just because its the conclusion we’ve come to in our Western World-View.

Do I think it is the best social/economic/governmental system? Yes, to a degree. Never to say that it is without its shortcomings but it is a system that fits the mindset of its people. Could it be improved? Of course.

Who is to say, though, that forcing a culture into a governmental system that is a carbon copy of ours is the best solution for that people? The thing that is usually shrugged off and ignored is the mindset of the people. Islamic countries have an extremely different world view and social system than us westerners do. This is why Islam lashes out at the West- because of this difference in social climate. Ours is viewed as unholy and decadent.

I’m offering no conclusions, only to say that perhaps (even though a sovereign nation, including the US, has a right to look after its own interests) a people should be allowed their own say and role in their own government. Its beneficial to our interests to impose democracy, but at the expense of other’s [Islamic countries'] culture and world-view.