This is particularly true of what he calls the "power-challenge dialectic," a residue from the tribal experience that both guides and constricts behavior at the national level. In tribal society, all males are theoretically equal and capable of exercising authority. Thus, to gain power a man must develop a following by demonstrating that he is heroic, ruthless, tough, cruel and understanding—in short, commanding. Since there are no formal means of selecting leaders, the informal realities unleash the power-challenge dialectic, in which challenge is the only way to get power and the accumulation of power invites challenge. As Pryce-Jones explains, the power-challenge dialectic has survived as a tribal legacy, perpetuating “absolute and despotic rule, preventing the evolution of those pluralist institutions that alone allow people to participate in the processes of the state and so to identify with it.”
The story of Western civilization is in significant measure the story of the slow, inexorable ascent of liberal democracy. It is a grand story, full of civic tension, brutality, sacrifice, intellectual exploration, heroism and triumph. But this is not the story of Middle Eastern Islam, which emanates from a separate cultural etymology and distinct cultural sensibility. It isn’t realistic to expect that the peoples of this cultural heritage will embrace in any serious way the structures, sensibilities and practices of an alien culture, however successful it has been in comparison.
But don’t take my word for it. Just look at developments in the Middle East in the wake of the American effort to remake Iraq and the Arab Spring of 2011. Do we see there an inexorable push toward democracy, or rather Pryce-Jones’s power-challenge dialectic at work? Anyone who sees the former should probably take a second look, but with a cold eye of realism.
Robert W. Merry is editor of The National Interest and the author of books on American history and foreign policy. His next book, Where They Stand: The American Presidents in the Eyes of Voters and Historians, is due out on June 26 from Simon & Schuster.
Comments
The culture of indoctrination is hurting the west. From historical perspective, when the West accepted Christianity, they begin centuries of the crusader movement, killing their way to force conversion, it is only until the last few decades that the human rights and sexual crimes of the priests been dealt with willingly; When the West accepted capitalism, they begin to colonize the world and justify the opium war as opening up free trade. It is only after the 2008 GFC, they then found interest in the analysis of Carl Marx; When the West accepted democracy, despite the history of overthrowing elected government across the world trying to nationalize their resources. The West has promoted democracy as the only acceptable form of government and constantly using democracy as a justification for wars. The West disregards the failing rate of forced democracy and the suffering in the aftermath of their intervention. The West also ignore the fact that China has persistently receiving the highest level of citizen satisfaction in the annual PEW Global Attitude Survey: [http://www.pewglobal.org/database/?indicator=3&survey=12&response=Satisfied&mode=chart] with an approval rating of up to 87% whereas, the satisfaction rating in many democracy such as America are very low. The west has oppressed the world from freedom of thinking and freedom of experimenting with alternative and more efficient political system.The West should seek to improve the deficiency in its own political system before trying to wholesales to the rest of the world. The following are just a few examples of the deficiency in the political system I observed in Australia:1) Democracy Needs Reform - We are the unsatisfied lead by the unqualified or http://outcastjournalist.com/index_files/Democracy_needs_reform_lead_by_the_unqualified.htm2) Democracy needs reform - Australia, China and USA: A Tale of 3 Natural Disasters or http://outcastjournalist.com/index_files/democracy_need_reform_australia_china_n_usa_a_tale_of_3_natural_disaster.htm3) Democracy needs reform—The cruelty of poll driven politics or http://outcastjournalist.com/index_files...4) Democracy Needs Reform - The frustration of Australian voters or http://outcastjournalist.com/index_files/democracy_needs_reform_the_frustration_of_Australia_voters.htm5) Democracy Needs Reform: Human Rights – Housing Policy – Australia and China Compared or http://outcastjournalist.com/index_files/human_rights_housing_policy_australia_china_compare.htmAt the moment, Western democracy is unable to ensure the quality of its political leadership, political infighting, internal tribalism, caring for the interest of the average people, poll driven racism, and external influence from money politics through lobbying and political donations, etc. The west should seek to overcome these deficiciencies, and perhaps there is a lot Western government could learn from countries such as Singapore and China. Written by: www.outcastjournalist.com