|
Trending Topics
|
Source: http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2011-02-14-column14_ST1_N.htm
Egypt Should Take Its Time Building a Democracy
(USA Today) David Makovsky - A democratic transition should not be confused with an instant election. Apart from an election, democracy is about building the institutions that ensure there are safeguards for individuals. It also requires an independent judiciary, a free press, minority rights, and a security apparatus that maintains the monopoly on the use of force. These institutions provide the opportunity for the creation of a civic culture where parties can negotiate their demands in a peaceful framework. Democratic transition is hard enough without pressure demanding that it be rapid. The test is not a first election, but rather whether there is a second one. The writer is director of the Project on the Middle East Peace Process at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.