Jun
01
2009
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Arab Elections |
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Written by JD Johannes
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Monday, 01 June 2009 |
Yard signs, posters and banners were every where in Kuwait in May 2005.
I was in transit limbo and had a few days to catch glimpses of the campaigns.
It is amazing how political signs look the same everywhere--how there is almost a regression to the mean in all political campaigns no matter what country they are in.
I was reminded of Kuwait's elections by this column in the WSJ .
After Islamist parties won elections, many thought it proved democracy promotion was a bad idea. Why promote democracy if the wrong parties get elected?
But the same waxing and waning of parties and ideologies we see in Western countries applies to Arab countries as well.
What is important is not who wins a particual election but that the machinery of elections and democracy itself which holds those who won accountable.
In selectorate theory of elections, a large voting pool and frequent elections forces a moderation as the ruling elite must maintain a large and diverse coalition.
Promotion of legitimate elections as a policy cannot be judged by one or two election cycles, but must be viewed over the long term.
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