Middle East Focus Rethinking Democracy, Ep. 1: Why Does Democracy Flourish? With Francis Fukuyama and Paul Salem
Mar 26, 2024
Political scientist Francis Fukuyama and Middle East expert Paul Salem discuss why democracy flourishes in certain countries, analyzing historical, geographical, and cultural factors impacting its evolution. The podcast delves into the Arab-Israeli conflict, the complexities of democracy in the Middle East, the components of a functioning state, moral clarity in conflicts, national identity, and comparisons between authoritarian and democratic systems.
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US Democracy Origins
- America's democracy was influenced by English common law and Protestantism.
- These valued individual moral agency and legal traditions, predating democracy.
Democracy vs. Liberalism
- Liberal democracy combines elections with constraints on state power.
- Populist leaders often exploit this tension, claiming to represent the people against institutions.
Arab World Democracy
- The Middle East's history of powerful, centralized states hindered democratic development.
- Weak civil societies and state-dominated economies further contributed to this.