In an essay, "Here Comes the Sun," that I wrote for the Hands Along the River essay contest, I attempt to explore the Egyptian Revolution to find a message, a calling, a lesson of some kind for Americans. The best American counterpart, the vessel for the lesson, if you will, that I could find was Occupy. Anyway, in this essay I stated that there are three things to consummate the spring revolution - that is the revolution by reform, a revolution by accountability, a transition between the dark winter and the liberated summer. And indeed since the election of Mursi as the president of Egypt, this transition has been re-established - after, of course, the Tahrir Movement (remember when all those students, those housewives and lectures alike gathered in the al-Tahrir (Freedom) Square last year?). Many have doubted this conclusion. They cite the apparent illegitimacy of the new president - listing out stats and making the boldest comment: voters simply didn't want Shafiq. Whatever, the case, Mursi's election is the third segment of the Egyptian Revolution - following the period when the revolution was in danger and reflecting the period in which the Revolution was born.
It's simple really how Mursi's been able to do this, how the Muslim Brotherhood's been able to do this. They grasp the biggest vote-gatherer - after all, aren't political parties vote-based corporations - accountability. That's right. They hold themselves accountable. And this is all that the Egyptian Revolution, at least in its heyday, has been about. It is a point that I've made in my essay. Was it a coincidence that the Revolution snaked down after Mubarak's resignation? No. The people simply didn't have anyone to hold accountable. With everyone thinking he could rule the country, why would there be a reason to hold anyone accountable. And with Tahrir becoming a ground upon which to protest the election outcomes and not the establishment's policies - it is obvious why there was such a depression in the success of holding Shafiq's Military Council accountable. No one was.
And whether the Brotherhood has visualized this or not, it is using it as a weapon in engaging in Egyptian politics. Mursi has promised to have non-Islamist, i.e. members of opposition parties, in his cabinet. Essentially, they will be in charge of telling the Muslim Brotherhood that they are doing so-and-so wrong. And being in such a high position to do so, surely the media will be their backing, if it comes to that.
But what's especially astonishing about this development is the practiced theoretical principle in political science - that a plurality in contesting parties is the key to democracy. The idea is obvious, and it is also one similar to that of the sort of omniarchy I've discussed innumerately on this blog. With so many parties waging electoral war against one and another, opinions are forced to optimize - meaning that the best solution to the worst problem will be the end result. And this doesn't necessarily have to be a thing about the majority or really any part of the population. But it is also something to do with the liberal nature of the democracy. With competitive elections, accountability is assumed. There is a challenge to the majority party and, moreover, that challenge comes from the party. Thus, there are two points to be made. This sort of economy of elections that we've discussed that forces the Brotherhood to hold itself accountable has compelled it to take into consideration the opposition's opinion. But if the Brotherhood for some reason becomes a monopoly, that opposition would be able to contest for seats and, again, by rule whoever promises accountability will win.
That said, I believe the revolution in Egypt can been re-initiated. As soon as Mursi puts in the opposition members in his cabinet and his order for the parliament to be re-established are fulfilled, accountability will be king. The aforementioned cycle - if the Brotherhood gets to comfortable and neglects accountability, accountability will, without fail, show its head - will be consummated and thus there will be no such thing as an autocracy. But, alas, this is still a tall order. Politicians are politicians. And politics are politics. Even if parliament is re-established, it is still a Brotherhood majority. And, beyond his word, there is no guarantee that Mursi will include non-Islamists and women in his cabinet. It hasn't happened yet. But it is something to look forward to and, thus, Mursi is certainly in a way the Groundhog - whose shadow may very well bring an end to these terrible past months of back-steps. It could bring Egypt forward - to where it was - and more.
It's simple really how Mursi's been able to do this, how the Muslim Brotherhood's been able to do this. They grasp the biggest vote-gatherer - after all, aren't political parties vote-based corporations - accountability. That's right. They hold themselves accountable. And this is all that the Egyptian Revolution, at least in its heyday, has been about. It is a point that I've made in my essay. Was it a coincidence that the Revolution snaked down after Mubarak's resignation? No. The people simply didn't have anyone to hold accountable. With everyone thinking he could rule the country, why would there be a reason to hold anyone accountable. And with Tahrir becoming a ground upon which to protest the election outcomes and not the establishment's policies - it is obvious why there was such a depression in the success of holding Shafiq's Military Council accountable. No one was.
And whether the Brotherhood has visualized this or not, it is using it as a weapon in engaging in Egyptian politics. Mursi has promised to have non-Islamist, i.e. members of opposition parties, in his cabinet. Essentially, they will be in charge of telling the Muslim Brotherhood that they are doing so-and-so wrong. And being in such a high position to do so, surely the media will be their backing, if it comes to that.
But what's especially astonishing about this development is the practiced theoretical principle in political science - that a plurality in contesting parties is the key to democracy. The idea is obvious, and it is also one similar to that of the sort of omniarchy I've discussed innumerately on this blog. With so many parties waging electoral war against one and another, opinions are forced to optimize - meaning that the best solution to the worst problem will be the end result. And this doesn't necessarily have to be a thing about the majority or really any part of the population. But it is also something to do with the liberal nature of the democracy. With competitive elections, accountability is assumed. There is a challenge to the majority party and, moreover, that challenge comes from the party. Thus, there are two points to be made. This sort of economy of elections that we've discussed that forces the Brotherhood to hold itself accountable has compelled it to take into consideration the opposition's opinion. But if the Brotherhood for some reason becomes a monopoly, that opposition would be able to contest for seats and, again, by rule whoever promises accountability will win.
That said, I believe the revolution in Egypt can been re-initiated. As soon as Mursi puts in the opposition members in his cabinet and his order for the parliament to be re-established are fulfilled, accountability will be king. The aforementioned cycle - if the Brotherhood gets to comfortable and neglects accountability, accountability will, without fail, show its head - will be consummated and thus there will be no such thing as an autocracy. But, alas, this is still a tall order. Politicians are politicians. And politics are politics. Even if parliament is re-established, it is still a Brotherhood majority. And, beyond his word, there is no guarantee that Mursi will include non-Islamists and women in his cabinet. It hasn't happened yet. But it is something to look forward to and, thus, Mursi is certainly in a way the Groundhog - whose shadow may very well bring an end to these terrible past months of back-steps. It could bring Egypt forward - to where it was - and more.
1 comment:
agree wholeheartedly, wish more people would realize it's not just about the guns.
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