What about Revolution? Egypt’s Presidential Election

Last January, Egyptians celebrated in the streets after longtime dictator Hosni Mubarak stepped down after days and weeks of protesting, clashes with police, and bloody violent death.

 Today in Egypt, I can’t help but wonder, what those brave souls who spilled their blood to stand against Mubarak’s dictatorial rule would say about the choices being afforded Egyptians going to the polls this weekend ?

The Egyptian people have a choice between Mubarak’s last Vice President and a member of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The former is a symbol of the old regime, while the ladder wishes to impose Islamic law throughout Egypt.

If one votes for either candidate, they have in effect betrayed the twin spirits of democracy and freedom that led so many into the streets, and ultimately cost some people their lives.

This lack of choice is distressing, but not uncommon.

Many democratic revolutions often get bogged down once the original goal of ousting the dictator is achieved. The key is not the election itself, but how the Egyptian people react to the outcome of the election.

 They can either take to the streets and seize the revolution from the clutches the bureaucracy or let the revolution wither away, leaving democracy advocates to question: “What About Revolution”?

Serbia: EU Candidacy

Serbia is set to become an official candidate for European Union membership. The Serbian government has reached an agreement with the government of Kosovo that would allow government representatives to attend regional gatherings, even though Serbia still refuses to recognize Kosovo’s independence.

 Serbia still needs to undergo the complex process of administrative, judicial, and economic reforms common to post-Communist countries wishing to become EU members. It is estimated that the earliest Serbia could become an EU member is 2020. The question is: Does Serbia need the EU or vice versa?

Serbia has seen ascension to the European Union as a grand prize for many years. EU membership would provide the Serbian government with opportunity to express their democratic credentials. Serbia could also use the financial support the EU provides to member countries.

Adding Serbia to the EU ranks would offer a boost to an organization that has been besieged by debt from member states in recent months that threatens to unravel the entire notion of a European Union.

Bringing another country with financial difficulties into the European fold does not sound like a prudent idea, considering Europe’s financial plight.

Rafael Correa: Free Speech Killer

The President of Ecuador Rafael Correa has come under increasing fire internationally for his perceived moves against free speech in the country.

 Correa has sued El Universo and other newspapers claiming libel and created new media laws to greater increase the scope of the state media apparatus. President Correa claims that he is trying to put the herd on a sensational private industry with a political agenda.

Ironically, one of the new laws Correa championed would seem to benefit his own political career as he prepares for a reelection campaign in 2013.

The National Assembly passed a law last month that placed severe restrictions on what journalists can cover about candidates. Correa defends the action on the grounds that he doesn’t want the media to ally with political campaigns and hold too much sway over political matters.

During Correa’s time in office, state-run media has expanded from one station to fifteen. Worrisome indeed.

Latin America has a lengthy history of autocratic rule and I’m afraid Correa is the next autocrat. When a political figure moves to control the dissemination of the written word, he is violating the key democratic principle of freedom of the press.

Without the freedom of words and ideas, politicians themselves become illegitimate strongmen, relying on the resources of the state to ensure their rule.

Source: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/Latin-America-Monitor/2012/0124/Ecuador-s-President-Correa-sues-newspaper-and-is-blamed-for-killing-free-speech.

Does Democracy Need Authoritarian Government?

My reading for seminar this week was satisfaction with democracy. The literature I’ve read indicates that satisfaction with democracy has been on the decline since the fall of Communism in the Soviet Union. I doubt, many people are going to be shouting “Down with democracy, Up with Communism” and carrying pictures of Lenin, Stalin and Mao in the streets.

 Still the question is interesting: Does Democracy need some form of autocratic government?

During the Cold War, politicians could use the very real threat of Communism to differentiate themselves by arguing “We’ll at least were not Communists.” Following the fall of the Soviet Union, lots of inadequacies with democracy and the democratic process have had a rather harsh spotlight shined on them.

 Parties that were previously bastions of democracy were revealed to be just as corrupt as the evil communists. Furthermore, citizens have grown increasingly dissatisfied with unresponsive, “do nothing” political parties, that don’t care about them.

 Certain political figures throughout history have advocated this idea of a world completely governed democratically. Great idea, we can have mass discontent throughout the world. One can’t deny that democracy was easier with communism around. Because we could always say “Look how they live in Communist countries”!

Once the light was shined on democracy though, we found that though democracy may be preferable, it is far from the perfect paradise that some made it out to be. The fall of Communism forced us to confront the reality of democratic imperfection.              

Meanwhile in Bogota

Americans complain all the time with good reason about our political system breaking down and being “owned” by special interests. But compared to the people in Columbia, the United States looks like paradise.

 This past weekend, Colombia held local elections for governor, mayor and town council. Most distressing, forty one candidates for office were murdered and drug cartels exerted a significant influence in parts of the country. Most of these elections seized by violence and corruption were localized affairs.

Meanwhile in the capital of Bogota, a traditional political campaign occurred that any Western analyst would recognize. Gustavo Petro won the mayors race campaigning on an anti-corruption platform, staying away from left-right issues.

 When it comes to Columbia, one just has to sigh because we have modern style campaigns and elections in the big cities, but gangster-ism runs free in the localities. No democracy can survive these types of conditions and retain the label of democracy.

 Columbia has a choice: they can either be a democratic country or they can become a drug cartel state. The international community can’t accept either/or here.

Small Freedoms

The government of Myanmar (Burma) has been doing something odd lately. They’ve released a number of prisoners of conscience over the last few weeks, whose existence was previously denied by the regime. It has been suggested that political prisoners may be released in batches to gauge Western responses to the move. The fact that some political prisoners are being released is a huge eye opener given that Myanmar once had the most repressive government this side of North Korea.

The new government has sought to forge a degree of trust among the government and Suu Kyi- the most influential opposition figure in Burmese politics. They’ve also agreed to stop censorship and may agree to look at the electoral system reform that could clear Suu Kyis’ National League for Democracy to run for office. Source: http://www.economist.com/node/21532305.

The West has been faked out by the Myanmar government before, so the West would be wise to not wet themselves over this recent turn of seeming goodwill. Lets wait till all the prisoners are released, censorship is repealed for a meaningful period of time, and these little things called democratic elections occur and the results are respected, before we go removing sanctions and opening the doors to the new tastes great less filling Myanmar government. Lots of things sound good here, but we’ve been burned by the tantalizing flame of Myanmar democracy before.