| Prior to the U.S. invasion of Iraq, neoconservative hopes for Iraqi democratization triggered a renewed debate centering on the chances for the Arab Middle East to democratize. Neoconservatives envisioned a democratic Iraq to set an example and generate a new wave of democratization in the Middle East. Four years after the invasion, the current situation in Iraq and the persistence of authoritarianism in the region raise questions about prospects for democratization. Today, competing ideas by scholars and policymakers concerning the likelihood of democratic development in the Arab world, and conditions under which democratization can occur occupy the public debate. The elite-oriented theories argue that democracy can take root in any soil. An alternative approach calls attention to the importance of cultural context in understanding regime changes. The purpose of this study is to understand the extent that culture determines the conditions and processes under which democracy can evolve. It aims to demonstrate why Arab societies seem to be resistant to democracy. For the purpose of this project, Egypt and Algeria are treated as case countries with regard to their modern political institutions and secular systems. Through an historical examination, this study primarily focuses on the internal tension between nationalist and Islamist factions. Specifically, the historical rise and continuity of political Islam, the scope of the challenge Islamists present to the nationalist state, the political rivalry between the nationalist and Islamist factions, and the persistence of authoritarianism constitute the key highlights in these cases. This study intends to address the concerns regarding the fertility of the socio-political environment for democratic transitions and the direction of possible political transitions in these states. |
