By Tawfik Hamid
After Sept. 11, many voices in the West argued that the lack of democracy in most of the Muslim world is the main cause of terrorism. Their analysis was based on their assumption that when young Muslims do not find a way to express themselves or state their opinion in a democratic process, they have no other option but to start down the path of extremism. This theory, while it seems attractive, does not explain certain fundamental observations.
Advocates for solving the problem of Islamic radicalism via implementing democracy need to explain the following: Why do Christians in the Middle East, who live under the same political circumstances as their fellow Muslims, not contribute to terrorism and suicide bombings? If a lack of democracy is the true cause of terrorism, it should affect both Muslims and Christians to the same extent.
Furthermore, the ‘lack of democracy’ theory can not explain why homegrown terrorism and Islamic extremism developed in democratic countries and societies such as the United Kingdom. The theory also can not explain why Islamic extremism has developed in the United States, as we have recently seen with some young Muslims from North Carolina, and with some U.S. citizens of Somali origin who traveled to Somalia to wage violent jihad. Read more ...
After Sept. 11, many voices in the West argued that the lack of democracy in most of the Muslim world is the main cause of terrorism. Their analysis was based on their assumption that when young Muslims do not find a way to express themselves or state their opinion in a democratic process, they have no other option but to start down the path of extremism. This theory, while it seems attractive, does not explain certain fundamental observations.
Advocates for solving the problem of Islamic radicalism via implementing democracy need to explain the following: Why do Christians in the Middle East, who live under the same political circumstances as their fellow Muslims, not contribute to terrorism and suicide bombings? If a lack of democracy is the true cause of terrorism, it should affect both Muslims and Christians to the same extent.
Furthermore, the ‘lack of democracy’ theory can not explain why homegrown terrorism and Islamic extremism developed in democratic countries and societies such as the United Kingdom. The theory also can not explain why Islamic extremism has developed in the United States, as we have recently seen with some young Muslims from North Carolina, and with some U.S. citizens of Somali origin who traveled to Somalia to wage violent jihad. Read more ...
Source: NewsMax
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