When countries announce political reform, citizens become optimistic since political reform normally includes protection from certain dangers countries face. If countries fail to participate in political reform, the implication is that they are weakening the community and its civil establishments in a way that prevents it from being able to face external dangers and threats. And we in our region are certainly facing both. Only those countries that have achieved political reform are safe and are able to stand their ground and take the blows of development without serious impact on what happens within their borders.
Political reform should not be approached from the limited and narrow perspective of politics only; other types of reform are included such as economic, social, educational and cultural — in short, anything that concerns the citizens. I will not deny that I am against political reform if the community is not ready for it because it may lead society down a steep slope into danger. Tunisia is an example of what I mean. Hundreds of thousands of people killed and wounded were the price of democracy until the present.
Those who call for political reform spring from the elite and are a minority. They will soon come to realize when it comes to implementing political reform that there are large groups within the community which are not ready or prepared for reform.
The West did not attain its present position regarding democracy in a decade or two; the process took centuries and involved both civil as well as world wars. I view Western democracy as the result of wars rather than the result of some well-defined, carefully-prepared plan.
In the developing world, many countries want to copy the West in terms of democracy but they have failed to do so except in outward appearance. Decisions in those countries are hostage to certain individuals instead of to certain groups. The reason for this is that the communities in those countries were not originally or properly prepared for political reform; the process is not easy since it involves such things as the literacy rate and the ability of the community to work as one toward a common goal. These are some of the reasons why political reform will not be successful if a community has not been well-prepared for it; the democratic process is a complex one and its application is not as easy as its declaration.
Preparing communities for reform begins with familiarizing citizens of all groups and levels with the meaning of constructive dialogue. The first condition that should be provided in such dialogues is that no one despises, scorns or belittles another and that the opinion of the majority should prevail.
In order to implement political reform, social development must begin in educational establishments at all levels as well as in both social and civil establishments. First comes social development and once it has taken root, political reform will naturally follow.
