Arabs Want Democracy, but What Kind?

Sabrina de Regt

Research Centre for Longitudinal and Life Course Studies, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.

DOI: 10.4236/aasoci.2013.31005                

Abstract

In recent times, Arabs have shown the world that they are ready for additional democratic reforms. We must nevertheless question what democracy means to them. How do they think about the role of religious leaders in democracy? Does democracy imply extending the rights of women? How do Arabs see the connection between democracy and a prosperous economy? Answers to these and similar questions are important in order to interpret the high levels of support for democracy that are being observed in the Arab world, as well as the possible outcomes of the Arab spring. It is also important to examine whether Arabs have a common understanding of democracy or whether they disagree on the form that democracy should take. Wide variations in the meaning of democracy could retard the process of democratization. In this article, public opinion data from Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, and Morocco are used to develop a detailed image of what democracy means to Arabs.

Keywords

Democracy; Religiosity; Women; Economy; Arab World; World Values Survey

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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