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Modern Secular State: Logical Evolution of Egypt
Prof. Hossam Badrawi
Thoth Center for Political Studies (TCPS)
TCPS in brief:
Thoth is the ancient Egyptian god of wisdom and writing.
TCPS is an Egyptian Non-profit community organization, under the umbrella of Nile Badrawi Foundation, NBF, for Education and Development, and Tomorrow’s Dreamer Youth Association, TDA. TCPS is a social initiative that targets serving the community and decision makers, at all levels, and offering political and social alternatives, without imposed agendas. The initiative for building a new professional and international respect that develop policies and researches that have their market, domestically and internationally, is an important and required step. A step that aims to:
Offering practical solutions or recommendations to domestic, regional and international challenges.
Drawing out and identifying Egypt’s future threats and opportunities.
TCPS prepares its papers, tailored to community’s political and developmental needs, in present and future. It has a leadership known for its independent opinion, credibility and diversity. TCPS uses objective analysis of events and surveys public opinion, within the limits of the law, when needed.
Scope of work
TCPS offers 4 aspects and initiatives:
Political and social alternatives to the country’s leadership, in the light of weakness of party system in Egyptian parties and disagreement of political powers in the parliament, which poses a threat to sustainable development, while having a great economic challenge.
Egypt’s regional and international foreign policy.
Human development population, as the long term input, through education, health, culture, art and media.
Integration of the board sense of human rights in Egyptian domestic and international policy and development of religious discourse.
In addition, to find a one or more initiatives that generate projects can offer a service to the country, in the medium-term.
TCPS Publication: TCPS will issue a group of periodicals and researches, which can be obtained in Arabic, English and other languages, on TCPS website. TCPS will also organize a series of political lectures, given by Egyptian and international political experts, to enrich the political thinking and freely discuss political alternatives. TCPS will release these lectures and discussion summaries periodically.
Modern Secular State, Democracy 4th Generation: Logical Evolution of Egypt
Prof. Hossam Badrawi
Researcher: Ahmed Atta
Introduction: 4th Generation Democracy
If we review the history of social or political revolutions, we cannot see a movement that is authenticated as a human rights movement, in a sense we understand in present era. Perhaps they included what is labeled as democratic movement in Greece, where the use of the word democracy was explained as a people and human rights movement. But even in its semantics it is not. Prof. Al Akkad Said:” Greece democratic system was the title given to the government that tribes participated in its election. The tribes’ participation in election was not a recognition of a human right everyone was given equally, but it was a recognition of the tribe and avoidance to its opposition to work in the army.”
In Greece and Rome, successively came types of democratic government, which had no principle to stand on other than avoiding sedition and win the loyalty of tribe-member and manufacturer soldiers in army and fleet.
This we shall consider as the “First Generation Democracy”
Human and voting rights began in western democracy in the mid-twentieth century, was generalized gradually to voters, as needed. Workers had it beforefarmers in industrial countries. Women had it after she became a factory worker replacing the soldiers in war. Colored people gradually had it in USA, after the state needed their service in community in army in the 2 world wars. Under-developed countries had it as a result of mutual pressure and conflicts among classes to reach a specific political formula, on which all parties agree.
This we shall consider the “Second Generation of Democracy”.
As for the human rights recognized in principle, not as practical plans, they are dictated by the equalforces of groups and voters, so it is represented by a human democracy that cannot be conceived without the elements of equality, individual responsibility and establishing a ruling based on consultation and known constitutions of limits and consequences. These elements are the elements we advocate as general principles, not out of necessity to a voting reality or serving in the army. They represent a true belief in how to govern justly, in recognition of citizen rights, regardless of their education level or social status.
This we shall consider the “Third Generation of Democracy”.
When looking into the 3rd generation western democracy and its implementation across the world, especially in developing countries, we find many contradictions between philosophy and reality, the absolute powers given to the governments3 and, sometimes, social injustice to classes of the people that cannot, through their connection and abilities, have a real equal opportunities, as we claim and say.
The highly educated, the wealthier and the more open to the world will get the opportunity. The gap between citizens will become wider. In many times, the opportunities for human development, which we seek from the good governance, are lost. The 3rd generation of democracy succeeded partially in Europe and Northern America, but failed when implemented in developing and poor countries.
This drove us, as researchers desiring to alert the citizen reactions, to ask a question on social media:
“How would whom we choose control and wrong who chose him, knowing that who chose him can change their choice and he is at the hands of those who chose him? How those whom are paid and owe their posts undervalue those who pay them and employ them, unless the regime is incompetent and does not reflect the real balance of forces.
With no need to revolutions or demonstrations, people are more powerful than their rulers are, if the people uses their right to choose when it is the time to choose.”
We received many answers and feedback on how to reach the 4th generation of democracy, which will achieve the democracy goals and avoid what did and does happen in the developing world countries of military, security or religious alternatives, sailing away from the modern secular state the people seek.
At the conclusion of this study, there are samples of the opinions that represent the different trends of community, which we received after publishing the 4th generation of democracy.
What is the secular state that we mean?
The modern secular state that is referred to by the Egyptian Constitution:
A state that keeps, protects and develops all the members of the community, regardless of their national, religious or ideological affiliation.
Some principles must be entirely available in a secular state, the most important are:
This state is to be established on peace, tolerance, acceptance of the other and equal rights and duties. As it will guarantee the rights of all the citizens, not as a gift from a ruler, but as a right to be defended.
An important principle of secular state is that no individual will have his/her rights violated by any other individual or party. The State power is always the upper hand through law enforcement mechanisms, to which the individuals will turn when their rights are or threatened to be violated. Only the state enforces the law without selectivity, and prevents parties to administer the forms of punishment in their in own hands.
A principle of secular state is to trust different contracting and exchanging processes. There is neither abuse nor revocation of contracts in favor of a group over another group. The secular state honors individuals and private companies contracts with the state and does not burden their shoulders with the differences of state’s institutions with each other.
The secular state is characterized by equality of opportunities among the citizens on declared grounds. Also, believing and implementing the principle of citizenship, meaning that no citizen will be identified by his/her profession, religion, region, money nor authority, but to be identified legally and socially as a citizen, i.e. a community member, who has his/her rights and duties, in which he/she is equal with all citizens.
A most important principle of the secular state is that it is not established by mixing religion with politics. It is not an enemy or rejects religion. Although the religion is a factor in building morals and creating the energy to work, achieve and advance. What the secular state rejects is using religion to achieve political goals, as this contradicts the principle of diversity, on which the secular state stands. In addition, this is considered one of the most important factors that turn religion into a debatable and controversial subject and interpretations that take it away from holiness to narrow worldly benefits.
The secular state is characterized by respecting the law and democracy, which in essence prevents the country from being forcibly taken by an individual, elite, family, ideological disposition or religious group. A state where the authority is exchanged within a frame of individual freedom of speech, nomination and voting. A state holds all its institutions accountable. Executive, supervisory and judiciary authorities are in balance and no authority intrude on another authority.
The secular state is characterized by minority’s respect to the result of free elections, at all levels. However, the elected ruling majority is also committed to the minority rights protected by constitution, rotation of power, holding the elections timely, under the supervision of civil society, with no objection to international supervision, in order to ensure people’s trust in the results.
Democracy in the secular state is not ballot box only. It is in a free atmosphere to candidacy and no early elimination of any oppositionist, as long as it is according to the constitution and law.
In the secular state, freedom is regulated by the law, which prevents freedom to be a path for chaos or hijacking the authority. The law also protects individuals and groups of abuse of freedom. It prevents abuse of power, as the state’s institutions do not protect a ruler, but they protect the people and the constitution.
Definition of Martial Rule and its derivatives:
In literature, martial rule is a regime that controls the country, if military takes over the power, suspending or controlling the civil laws. It is an exceptional regime countries resort to in case of emergencies, peace disturbance, in which a state of emergency is declared till the danger passes the country. Under the martial rule, the executive authority is given vast powers, till security and stability are restored to the country. Mostly, the ruler declares these martial laws.
Over the time, a new definition was developed, as period of military in office are prolonged. The definition is security military rule wrapped in civil suit, to enhance its image in front of the people and the world. It is the rule that prevents civilians, directly or indirectly, from acceding to the power, aborts party and political activities, so civil forces has no value in elections, interferes in civil rule through controlling civil institutions by military, so the country affairs will not be run without them and no decision will be taken without their approval; the balance between powers is upset, executive authority intrudes to other authorities, representative and judiciary authorities, media is controlled by carrot and stick and all state’s institutions, other than army’s institutions, are marginalized.
The most important aspect of this regime is the civil forces are tied by security apparatus, laws and their interpretation. Justice becomes selective in favor of the ruler. The danger is that as time passes, the excuse to remain in power and suspending the rotation of power is related to the lacking or incompetence of an alternative, which is the consequence of marginalizing secular state’s institutions and collapsing human development and education and training systems.
Over the time, the community loses its trust in civil institutions. Military develop a sense and certainty that the civil society is loose and has no order and is not fit to run the country.
This may happen, in whole or part, in a country. May the events were led to it. But eventually, it a military rule in civil suit.
Secular State, Religion and Citizenship:
There is no conflict between secular state and religion, as each has its own field. The base of secular state is a constitution accepted by the community that confirms that the people are the source of all powers. This people are active by engaging in ruling through state’s institutions and power, as the ruler and the ruled are subject to the law. Hence, the secular state’s reference may not be a divine revelation or earthly dictator. Democracy is an essential element. A state that violates and seizes citizen rights and freedom is not a secular state.
On the other hand, the secular state does not come between the citizen and his/her religion. However, it comes between exploiting religion in politics by clergy or religious enmity by politicians, in order to justify dictatorship and suppress citizen rights and freedom.
A secular state is a state for all its citizens, without any ethnic, language, gender or religious discrimination. So a citizen being religious or not, believer or not has nothing to do with the state. A religious citizen of the majority’s religion or of the minority’s religion has no privilege more than others. The state, as institutions and employees, is neutral, in terms of religion and religiosity of its citizens; provided that this neutrality does not contradict that a secular state may be characterized and known by its citizens’ religious manifestations, so it has the character of majority’s religion. A visitor to United Kingdom will deduce from the weekend, state’s celebrations and culture that it has a Christian character, yet this Christian character and legacy does not change the fact that the state’s reference are the constitution and law only.
In the secular state, legislative process are based upon the agreement of parliament majority. If the majority enacts a legislation derived from Islamic, Christian or positive laws, then this legislation will be a state’s law to be applied to all of its citizens as such. However, it is not a lawful or religious rule, this includes that if the parliament majority changed, then it could change or amend such legislation, as it deem fit. The law provision is as sacred as the parliament majority supports it, provided this law shall comply with the constitution as a higher reference. No law that conflicts the constitution principles or contradicts the citizen rights and freedom will be enacted, otherwise the law will be considered null and the constitutional court may repeal it.
The secular state, as a concept, exceeded secularism, as a controversial expression. It also exceeded establishing a state upon what is holy and religious.
The political parties that seek to replace a constitution provision with holy religious provision deviate from the concept of the secular state. In this field, it is ok for the secular state to include religious-oriented parties, provided these parties will change their declared goal of establishing a theocracy.
Some may say this is a tactical detour of these parties, which could be true, but in the secular state, we cannot eliminate someone who accepts the rules of peaceful political game. The state must resists any deviation from the principle of the secular state, through working in gathering supporters not eliminating oppositionists.
We observed that citizenship could not be achieved in dictatorship, even if there is a space of political freedom. Secular state could not be built under a sectarian or theocratic state with no secularism. Creed, as merchandized by clergy, does not believe in all citizen rights equally, as long as the religious law discriminates against creeds. Here the importance of freedom of belief emerges in the secular community.
Definition of State:
In many conditional law books, a state is defined by demonstrating its elements, without speaking about what it is. According to these books, a state has three elements: a geographical element called a territory, which is a specific piece of land; a human element called a people, which is a group of people living in this territory; and a moral element called a sovereign independent public authority, which is the government that enforces its will to that territory with its creatures or assets. The last element consists with the meaning indicating a state.
The State in Egyptian Heritage:
The Egyptian civilization began around 3150 B.C, when King Menes, (Narmer), unified the south and north of Egypt. In the following three millennia, it developed and had a historical series of politically stable kingdoms, which included periods of relative instability labeled as the middle eras relatively unstable. Ancient Egypt reached its peak in the modern state era. After that, it entered a slow decline. In this period, Egypt was attacked by many foreign powers. The Ruling of the pharaohs officially ended when the Roman Empire invaded Egypt and made it a Roman province.
Ancient Egyptian civilization succeeded in the valley of the Nile, where all agriculture components was available, including rich soil, water and a temperate climate. Forecasting and controlling the damage of floods to produce substantial agricultural crops that contributed to social and cultural development. With required tools4 available, the authority extracted much of the metals existed in the valley area and its adjoining desert areas, developed an independent writing system and organized mass building and agricultural projects trading with areas adjoining Egypt. Reinforcing the military force for defense became necessary to resist foreign enemies, as well as asserting dominance for ancient Egyptian dynasties over the country.
Organizing and motivating these activities was made by the elite of bureaucratic, religious leaders and administrators, under the control of the pharaoh of Egypt, who was kept co-operation and unity of Egyptians, within a perfect political system. Egypt might be the first state, according to the modern definition of the state, in the entire human history. This puts this state ahead of all known civilizations, which Egypt should not give up and associate itself to only a civilization that followed or to civilization of those who invaded it in the times of weakness.
In the time of ancient Egypt’s modern state, Egypt population was 7 million, while the earth population was no more than 300 million.
Achievements of the ancient Egyptian state included utilizing quarry, surveying and techniques of building, which facilitated building the huge pyramids, temples and obelisks. In addition to a mathematics system practical and efficient in medicine, irrigation systems, agricultural production techniques, the first know ship, new forms of art and the first peace treaty.
Ancient Egypt left a permanent heritage to the entire mankind, from which ancient Greek, followed by the Roman, had taken many. The architecture art of Egyptian civilization had been copied and imitated widely across the world. Its monuments had been copied to the corners of the earth.
The Egyptian state had inspired the imagination of travelers and writers for many centuries. Discoveries at the dawn of modern era of Egyptian monuments and excavations led to scientific research on Egyptian civilization that came to light in a science called Egyptology and more appreciation of its cultural heritage in Egypt and the world.
The State in Islamic Heritage:
The first attributes of state in Islamic heritage started after Prophet Muhammed, Peace be upon Him. Arrived Al-Madina, and assumed religious and civil power. Al-Madina was inhabited by different warring and allied tribes, along with Jewish tribes, some Christians and others.
Muhammed drafted, wrote and documente0.4d a secular constitution for the state, on which the different tribe signed. In this constitution, he made Muhajereen (immigrants) and Anssar, (supporters), a unified group of Muslims. He gave everyone civil rights, in war or peace, regardless of his religion. As the Prophet, PBUH, died, the Islam reached Levant, Iraq, Persia and Egypt, a new model of ruling should be established, especially as conflict between those contemporary to the Messenger, even with those of the glad tidings to paradise, and each other. Then between Ali Ibn Abi Taleb and Muawiyah Ibn Abi Sufian.
In our opinion, It was clearly natural and reasonable that there will be no religious leadership after the Prophet, PBUH. What could be imagined was a new type off leadership, not related to the message or based on religion. Perhaps a proof of this is that Muawiyah assumed the power, killed his rival and rival’s family, despite recognizing the rival was more religiously informed and closer to the Messenger. ThenYazid, his son, assumed the power ruled countries from Asia to Africa. Yazid was known to be a non-religious person. This means it was an earthly leadership 3of course.
Ruling took a non-religious, but wore the religious mask to assert its influence. If leadership is not religious, then it is not less or more than civilian or political leadership. It is a leadership of a government and a king not a leadership of religion.
Ruling countries conquered by Arab armies turned into a new dictatorship in the name of religion, where the power was passed by hereditary succession, no objection allowed, power would not be rotated unless through revolutions and assassination of rulers, even by family members. It was a martial rule in the name of religion.
After centuries, Ibn Khaldun said that due to the difference in will and intentions between the people and their kings, this could lead chaos and hostilities. To overcome such possibility, it should be referred to enforced political laws, to which everyone surrenders and abides, as Persians and other nations had. If a state does not have this policy, it would rest or be stable. He then states the types of authorities in a state saying “If it is imposed by state’s wise, masters and intellectuals, it would be a rational policy. If imposed by God legislator that adopts and executes it, it would be a religious policy that benefits us in life for the purpose of eternity.”
Ibn Khaldun here differentiates between a rational policy, similar to what is called secular state, and a religious policy. He listed 3 types of states:
A state based on forcing the people to a necessary purpose, as the ruler sees and desires. Regardless of the ruled people may have. This is what can call a tyranny or dictatorship.
A state based on forcing the people to a necessary thinking to gain earthly benefits and prevent damage. This is what we can call as secular state.
A state based on forcing the people to a necessary lawful thinking to their eternal interests and measures all earthly matters by caliphate’s interpretation of law in religion. This is what we can call a theocracy.
Human Rights and Equality in Quran, The axis of Democracy’s 3rd Generation
Human freedom and human rights are manifestations of civilization. It is frequently said that it is a product of western civilization, specifically. As if these rights were discovered, defended and maintained, just as a result to this civilization’s pressure. Even those who judge by the look might be really confused by the mix between the regimes in the Islamic world and their violation to human rights and Islamic approach, which does not only establish these rights, but also defends them. Holy Quran has many verses that prove this. We even can say that before Islam in the 6th century A.D, no general human rights were declared in the world’s religious revolutions.
The reader may wonder at the contradiction between the clear instruction in Quran and the actions of rulers, through the history of the Islamic world.
Indications to human rights in modern concept were given a great share by Quran in 6th century A.D. Not as a result to social or political pressures, but that the Quran’s clear approach is equality, freedom, respecting the individual and his/her freedom of choice, without harming the community. We can assure:
Human democracy in Quran and its relation to democracy before and after Islam.
Human right to enjoy life and the logic of Islam in calling for that.
Human right to choose his/her religion.
Human right to freedom and Islam invitation to end slavery, which no previous civilization prevented, no laws were enacted to end slavery in the world before the 18th century.
Family rights in Quran as an implicit introduction to respect:
Parent rights (elders)
Children and newborn rights of life.
Women’s rights of life and equality. Comparing Quran’s philosophy to the vision of previous civilizations, proves that Quran raised woman’s stature, compared to what existed in the world, and what was done to her in western and eastern world, until the middle ages.
Human Democracy in Quran:
Human rights, as Islam sees, are recognized rights, in principle, not as practical plans, dictated by the equal forces of groups and voters. Human democracy cannot be conceived without the elements of equality, individual responsibility and establishing a ruling based on consultation and known constitutions of limits and consequences. These elements that Islam advocated as general principles, not out of necessity to a voting reality or serving in the army. The Prophet, PBUH, says: “There is no favor of an Arab over a foreigner, except by righteousness”.
Also, he said, in the Farewell Sermon:” O people, your Lord is one and your father Adam is one. There is no favor of an Arab over a foreigner, nor a foreigner over an Arab, and neither white skin over black skin, nor black skin over white skin, except by righteousness.”
Allah says is Surah Al-Hujurat: “O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.”
In Surah At-tur Allah says: “Every person, for what he earned, is retained.” And in Surah Ash-Shura:” whose affair is [determined by] consultation among themselves”.
The word piety, in Arabic language, comes from the verb, “yakki”, which means to prevent. In this case, it means to prevent yourself from doing wrong deeds, by performing duties and refraining from evil deeds. There are degrees of piety, the highest degree is performing duties and avoiding abominations. Piety is the purpose of noble-good manners.
There are examples of piety in every religion, sound community that respects the rights of others and in every constitution drafted by followers for different countries.
However, we cannot over look that the human rights Quran clearly declared were overlooked by most of Muslim rulers. Hence there is confusion between the acts of dictatorships in Islamic world toward human rights of freedom and choice and Quran. Confusion we want to clear to clarify the vision of Quran situation on these rights. Rights that Quran preceded all modern civilizations in declaring them, not because of a pressure by a lobby, not because it serves class interests in community, but because Quran’s situation on basic rights is a philosophical and fundamental situation, which is not related to anything else but that Islam believes in equality of rights among human, individual freedom and positivity to declare his/her opinion in matters of his/her life. These values and rules were not created by clergy; neither have we needed them to apply it, as they were not applied for more than a thousand year in Islamic countries. These rights are the axis of the third generation democracy. Its implementation requires new rules that respect the life of modern human, especially in poor and developing countries, which is the axis of this study on a new generation of democracy that we must undertake.
The Secular State in Western Culture:
The secular state is a concept that is translated and Arabized from modern western culture. It means a state that its affair is independent from church domination and influence. A secular state is a state that enacts its lawsaccording to interest through elections; a state, in which rotation of power occurs according to the opinion of majority. Meanwhile, it is not subject to interference of church or clergy, who exploited religion in the dark ages to manipulate and control the crowds for the benefit of church and themselves. As well as preventing development and thinking about what they declared as final facts, no matter what the science says and experiments prove. For some people, secular state is a secularity state, and in their definition, it is blasphemy.
“Secular state, in western cognitive space, means organizing and controlling a community, by agreement of its members, away from any other authority, religious or otherwise. Meaning (secularism) is an essential condition in these governments.”
Meaning and Origins of Secularism:
Many people confuse secularism with other concepts, such as liberalism and atheism. However, secularism means separating religious beliefs from state’s running policy and not forcing any human to follow a certain religion or belief, while using pure scientific research in analysis and evidence.
Secularism assures refusing interference in an individual’s life by religious institutions. Religion is a relation between a human and his/her god. The role of clergy ends by exiting the place of worship.
Clergy practices played a major role in the emergence of secularism in Dark Ages Europe. Clergy abused people, fought against science and scientists and supported the authority that gave them the right to interpret religion as they wish. At the dawn of renaissance era in Europe, secularism movement was developing and rising. It faced clergy and feudatories, supported science and positive laws as a foundation of public life and excluding all matters related to religion and metaphysics, and summarize it into a special relation between human and his/her god and does not exceed this limit. This was behind the start of equal rights among citizens and rotation of civil power by the will of the people.
Most Prominent Secularism Thinkers:
There are some cases of secularism advocators who did not only accepted the separation of religion from state, but went so far as to exceed this by calling for forming communities that rejects anything related to religion or metaphysics. Pure ethics are not attributed to a god.
Michiavelli was one of the most prominent secularism extremists. He advocated more than separating of religion from state. He did not only demand secularism, but demanded that religion be absolutely in the hands of the prince.
As every new philosophy, less harsh and extreme philosophers and thinker appeared and had a great impact on formulating secularism ideas and principle. The most prominent are Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677) and Charles Montesquieu (1689-1755).
Baruch Spinoza: Born in Netherlands, Jewish, but rapidly his ideas of secularism started to develop. He criticized Torah, philosophically, introduced mind to religious and political thinking and determining human heresy and religion’s doctrine. Among his famous books: A short Treatise on God, Man and His Well-Being.; On the Improvement of the Understanding.
Charles Montesquieu: Born in France. Montesquieu is renounced as one of the most prominent thinkers and philosophers who advocated freedom, tolerance and constitutional rule in France. He is one of the arch-enemies of tyranny. Also, he advocated separation of powers. He wrote many articles and books, including an article on Romans’ policy in religion; Considerations on the Causes of the Greatness of the Romans and their Decline.
Most of clergymen in Egypt regard blasphemy in secularism and do not get deeper in the intended meaning that sanctify religion, but do not allow clergymen to rule. The word is not the issue, the philosophy is.
Secularism in Egypt
Since it first appeared in Egypt with the French Campaign till present day, definitions accompanying secularism varied. A group deals with it as it is all things related to material world, away from Islamic doctrine and metaphysics. While another group regards it as only a separation of religion from political life, considering that religion primarily is related to individual’s life with his/her god and the community has nothing to do with that. Some of this group, especially in Sufi Islamic contexts, advancement of religion is not appropriate to enter the court of political competition, which is filled with cunning tricks and schemes that contradict the doctrine of religion.
Democratization in South Asia and Striving Towards Consensus Model
The waves of democratization that included Latin America in the 1980s, the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe in the 1990s, and the Middle East did not extend to South East Asia in the same way. Nor did these countries become a liberal democracy, except for India. China is the biggest example of how the communist dictatorship turned into a liberal dictatorship in its economic sense while retaining absolute control of the ruling party without the opportunity to rotation of power. Singapore did not move away from its one-party system, after the Philippines revolutionized its democracy in 1986. Burma did not budge from its military regime after Thailand began its transition to semi-democracy in 1988.
This is linked to an important set of questions about countries that are still in place for democratization in general and for South East Asia in particular. These questions include: Is economic security more important than expanding freedoms in Southeast Asia? Or is it that both economic security and political freedoms are equally important given the development of this vital part of the world?
Does political transformation in South-East Asia require full adoption of the Western model? Or is there a middle ground between tyranny and democracy, on which these countries can stand to achieve a new model of political transformation in this vital region of the world, provided that it has the bases of sustainability without collapse, as happened in the Soviet model?
The problem to be studied is that political and economic reforms sometimes seem as if they are contradictory to each other. The former may produce new strong dynamics and new leadership, but it may also produce the worst choices of uneducated and ignorant masses who cannot understand the development requirements, while the latter may produce a new influence on the current generation, which may create new classes benefiting over the expense of another excluded classes.
It also appears from the historical experience that the transformation from a military authority, which enjoys the advantages of power, order, obedience and commitment, to civil society once, seems very difficult, and leads to many problems and sometimes chaos and corruption.
Hence, it is important to recognize the role and quality of the state’s political apparatus in allowing different social classes to play their political roles, which may be opposed to the state’s apparatus and are willing to change it. But when the elite is strong and united and unwilling to change, because the political system supports their interests, a change may come from outside the state, not from within, through the intervention of other countries with interests in making this change.
In general, it can be said that as democracies mature, politics will be transformed from individual, individual-based or limited-elite aspects into policies binding on all. The present reality of South-East Asia proves, beyond any doubt, that the legitimacy of the performance of leaders has so far outstripped the legitimacy of the ballot box, which voters may easily turn against.
Democracy is not yet deepened in these countries, which differ economically and politically, which does not mean that democracy represents an urgent desire for its people, at least temporarily, insofar as it means a deferred issue in many of these countries, especially under the upcoming Chinese domination, based on a one – party dominance.
China will be the dominant player in the region and will determine the shape and scale of the democratization. It will not only be done by interfering in the affairs of other countries economically, and perhaps politically, as much as it will be through the form of transformations that will occur in China itself, the nature of its political forces, and the extent to which the ruling party accepts political pluralism as it accepted economic opening in the future.
Why Egypt needs a modern secular rule:
As for why we see that Egypt needs a secular rule by definition of the secular state at the beginning of this report, it is because the rotation of power and control over the institutions of the state and the balance between the authorities is the protector of individuals and their rights mentioned in the constitution. The possibility of rotation of power puts every ruler in front of the moment of him leaving his rule and the reckoning of the masses, he learns and does not intrude the rights and does not abuse in power. Yes, there are dictatorships that have achieved developmental boom, but they are the exception, and utopia is the just dictator who, despite his long reign, does not take him to power and thinks he is above the law is not proven.
Those who read history do not lose their path. Human community with different geographies and cultures still has its basic needs for common progress, as well as factors of its success or failure. The history says that all military or class systems, no matter what they accomplished in moments, are building sand castles, mostly lead to violations of freedom, coups, wars, revolutions or assassinations that destroy what has been achieved and send the country back to square zero again.
No country did achieve computational achievements as did Hitler’s Germany; he administered the largest industrial, economic and military renaissance during the first half of the last century, but the situation ended and his destruction, along with his country.
Even after World War II, a German citizen in the western part after the war was the same as a citizen in the eastern part. Korean citizen in the southern side is the same as in the northern side, but 100% excelled in the western and southern cases and 100% failed in the eastern and northern regions. Although the genes and mentalities are the same on both sides, elements of success and failure are the same, as well as natural resources and human wealth, but the management method was different on all aspects.
There are many examples of what appeared to be strength of the Soviet Union and then its collapse, in Eastern and Western Europe, Everything we read about President Tito’s rule, the division of his country and its inhumane wars, Nehru, who ended up in India as a great power under a democracy chosen by Nehru and a dictatorship selected by Pakistan.
The examples are numerous in Africa, which countries became independent and under the military rule of most of its countries, collapsed economically and defeated in civilization. Famines, civil wars and corruption spread.
The experience says that Egypt has been exhausted, lost its chances of development constantly in modern history because its system of ruling has followed the same philosophy, generation after generation waiting for different results.
We do not believe that the Egyptian people, who build the first state in the history of humanity, now accept an authoritarian dictatorial regime, as in China, for example. Generations of rulers after 1952 revolution, with no exception, claimed democracy and the participation of the people in power, although in the heart of its system was a one-party philosophy and a regime that does not accept the rotation of power.
What is meant by his indication is that the rule of Egypt head towards the democratic model, then stumbles and returns. Now, we see Egypt standing at a crossroads, after two revolutions, which succeeded after the worst nightmares of its people historically, under the influence of chaos of post 2011, to the religious rule of the Muslim Brotherhood for a year, to succeeding in the adoption of a respected Egyptian constitution in 2014 that clearly defines the state identity and the way of governance as a modern secular state, and was approved by all Egyptians by an overwhelming majority.
The most important thing in this constitution is the adoption of the rotation of power and not allowing any elected president to rule for more than two periods only. This constitution must be respected and the government and people must work to implement it and create the environment for it. The 5th Article of Constitution states that “The political system is based on political and party pluralism, the peaceful rotation of power, the separation of powers and the balance between them, the interdependence of accountability with the authority, and respect for human rights and freedoms, as set forth in the Constitution. ”
But the question arises and shows the political dilemma.
The Dilemma of Applying the Rules of Political Freedom and Democracy in Egypt
The fourth generation of democracy.
If we look around, there are countries that still live in the first and second generation of democracy. The third generation of democracy that respects the values of freedom and humanity and practices governance in the running the country has also failed to achieve its goals, even at the founders of this system in the United States. Our Egyptian experience will affect not only Egypt but the entire region.
We still have four years before us, after this the rule of President Sisi in will end in 2022, and ends the transitional period led by the hero who carried out the will of the people and the Egyptian army saved the country from the rule of fascist theocracy would strangle the necks and mind of Egyptians. The current task for the regime is to establish continuation of the path of development for a greater Egypt; without relying on an individual but on a sustainable system; rotation of power by voters’ free will; respecting the balance of power within Egyptian community, not allowing the state to hypocrite mobs and group interests at the expense of its future vision, or dictatorship of any class.
The fourth generation democracy, with the aim of good governance and respecting the reality of the ruling power in Egyptian community, expressed the following participants:
Most of the feedback spoke about education, knowledge and awareness as basis for the application of democracy, a diagnosis of reality rather than solutions.
Many have spoken about the balance between the authorities to prevent the dictatorship of any ruling class, which is approved by the constitution but does not occur in most poor developing countries, or all because free elections do not bring in these countries the best elements capable of monitoring the executive authority with knowledge and objectivity without demolition and corruption.
The most talked about including the Fourth Generation Democracy Initiative, protecting the Constitution from modifying presidential term limits, because the rotation of power is imperative to protect democracy.
Many wrote about the importance of independent judiciary and prompt justice as pillars of the state system without selectivity and dependency.
Conclusion
We must realize that all the circumstances of humanity have changed, the world around us is changing, and we must link the fourth generation of democracy to the changes of the times.
What we are experiencing was not possible at the time of the beginning of the third generation of democracy. So a new path should be drawn.
The democratic model, even in its current application in the West, is being reviewed a s a result of the revolution of information and communication, which broke the barriers between the citizen and the decision maker, and provided an opportunity for direct communication between them, perhaps without the need for a mediator such as parties. The parties lost their importance as a tool for organizing, mobilizing voters and fund-raising. As the candidate can do these things directly via the Internet. There is also a decline in the importance of ideology as a framework for gathering citizens in political or partisan activities. Perhaps the most important interest of the citizen now focuses on the effectiveness of governance, the extent of achievement and response to the demands of the citizen, regardless of the ideological idea adopted by the regime. But on the one hand, the greatest effectiveness of governance is linked to the most efficient access to power through a regime that allows for this. It is also related to the importance of the system of control and the question of decision maker, and the determination of periods of governance term limits to ensure innovation in thought and vitality of performance. In short, we believe that the new generation of democracy should focus on the following elements:
– Effectiveness of governance
– The efficiency of rulers
– Independent control and accountability independent of the executive
– An independent and effective system of justice (the real revolution must take place in this area)
– An education and culture system that allows citizens to choose the best.
We are looking for a new initiative to govern, by agreeing between what we dream of a secular state and the reality of real power on the ground, which does not deprive the country of its human potential and its national institutions. Initiative that gives freedom its position and respect, by controlling the prompt justice, which does not allow freedom to be turned into chaos, nor selective manipulation of the law. An initiative that allows the public to choose freely and to balance the good choice with a balanced parliamentary system.
The Egyptian armed forces are in control now, and should not be placed politically in front of their development challenge, and lose their reference value in case of departure from the Constitution or legitimacy, or destructive revolutions, if called by the people when needed , as it is responsible for the political situation. We should be keep the role of the armed forces in maintaining the independence of Egypt against any aggression and protecting the people and the constitution.
Therefore, it is necessary to find a new formula that respects the balance of powers but does not waste the basis of the secular state and this is what we will seek to formulate with the participation of all stakeholders in community.
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One of the commentators said:
“The reality is that the public, and the ignorance, will bring similar councils in thought, and the country will end up in chaos, and the public debate, without any vision or commitment to the rules of governance. Perhaps what happened after 2011, when the public took control over life, more than a million employees was appointed in the government to please the demonstrations, with no need for them.
The few presented a method of implementation, not merely theoretical ones, which made us feel the importance of continuing the dialogue so that what we say is consistent with what we do, such as the return of the two chambers of parliament to include knowledge and wisdom in one of them and balance the political forces in control and legislation.
Some have introduced different electoral systems to ensure optimal representation of the people, which in our view is a subject to be reviewed and re-discussed.
This is an important feedback that says:
The basis of democracy is sovereignty and the real power of the people. It will not be possible to exercise this sovereignty or authority except through institutions that are created and run by means of their own delegates. The question is who are the candidates? who are the voters? Are they both qualified to carry out their duties? There is no doubt that this varies greatly from one society to another according to levels of education and awareness in general, and that is the big dilemma that must be solved.
A citizen says:
“To achieve good governance, we need community maturity, human reconstruction and societal values, and the balance of rights and duties.
Responsibility is effectively borne by two main parties:
– The state with its cognitive, educational, cultural and media tools with clarity of purpose and strategy.
– Civil society development organizations, whose role shifts from the empowerment of living to the building of a decent human being within the framework of good governance
In order to achieve a successful society, the individual achieves what he cannot achieve alone in another environment.
One of the most important feedbacks came from a distinguished Egyptian doctor who has been living in America for thirty years.
“The day came when American democracy collapsed”
I think that in developing an initiative towards the fourth generation of democracy, I think that among the creators of the third generation America was the most important, and from my experience in living in the United States for thirty years, no matter how you try to elect the right person, you cannot. Village residents and ignorant and semi-educated will prevent you from doing so. This is not in Egypt but in the most ancient democracies of the world. So the Economist magazine analyzed the bad situation that American democracy has become. Since the inhabitants of the villages are the largest number of human beings, the majority of whom are ignorant and the semi-educated are relatively poor, they are the controllers of the election results associated with narrow-minded individual interests.
The American elections led to Donald Trump, the same base that brought Erdogan to power and established him in Turkey, no matter how he was rejected by the educated ,brought Mohammed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood to the votes of the people of Upper Egypt and the religion –driven people in Egypt, no matter what educated citizens do.
The democratic system has not put this hypothesis into account. It is a successful and balanced system only in the educated countries, such as Western Europe, especially in the more educated countries such as the Nordic countries, which still have a balance between villages and cities, where illiteracy was eliminated. The export of the American model has failed in many underdeveloped and developing countries and it is almost failing America itself, after it was failed by Communist rule in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. The elections will end with those who can tickle the feelings of the population, whether with bright and exaggerated promises or by force of “Western cowboy”, or with oil and sugar, money, or spreading the scandals of opponents, beatings under the belt or playing the religion card that opens the closed doors of ignorant and semi-educated.
What is the alternative? The alternative is one of the three. The first is the best solution. Those who want to reach power, government and the seats of parliaments from the progressive, the intellectuals and the intellectual thinkers should do justice to this class and speak in its simple language, defend it and work for it. This is what many intellectuals and intellectuals are ignorant of. They speak their language, which is not understood by the public and then hit their head in the wall when they fail. The second alternative is bad and perhaps almost impossible is to block or prevent this class from the elections until they learn and understand their political rights and the constitutions of these countries will not accept it, which considers all human are equal , a professor ‘s vote, with all his knowledge and culture, is similar to the vote of an illiterate and those who did not learn. The third is the “worst” alternative, namely, that these countries fall under the dictatorship of one of its various forms, religious, military or security, that suppresses liberties and puts its opponents in prison and let them live in fear and terror, hoping that this dictator may be educated, understanding and has a vision, even if it happens, who will guaranteed to these peoples when they will change and who comes after them. Returning to the dictatorship in the countries that dreamed the American dream is terrible and humiliating, so I support the initiative to open the door to think of getting out of this impasse.
Another reader wrote:
The raised issue is critical, as it discusses the essence of economic political dilemma in this era, not only in our homeland or Middle East, but in the whole world.
I liked the classification of generations’ democracy. Yet, I remind you that now we see dictatorial extreme right- wing overrunning the democratic world.
The difficult question is whether democracy has become a realistic idea that go along with changes in life and technology and the current digital revolution, which change the reality of nations and mass brainwash the people, by intelligence agencies.
I hope we discuss whether democracy is still an idea in our changing world controlled by virtual will.
The secular state supports Quran’s human rights
Human’s right to life:
Quran gives human his/her higher rights, does not deny his/her right to life, asks human to enjoy the good things in life, gives the human fair share of fairness, freedom and dignity as a humans is ordered to strive, work and enjoy what he/she earns, Allah says in Surah Al-Baqarah, Surah Al- A‘raf and Surah Al-Ma’idah:
“O mankind, eat from whatever is on earth [that is] lawful and good”
“O you who have believed, spend from the good things which you have earned”
“O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid (mosque), and eat and drink, but be not excessive”
“O you who have believed, do not prohibit the good things which Allah has made lawful to you”
Thus, Quran dictates the right to life, which is one of the most beautiful things in Islam. Human was not accustomed to be ordered of this right by any previous religion, but was accustomed, by many religions, to deny such right and make abstinence on earth a condition to entering heaven.
Human’s right of belief:
Islam, despite being the last Abrahamic religion sent down to the whole world, has given rights Muslim and non-Muslim religious rights, in a high level of understanding human community and its social and religious relations, as in Surah Al-Baqarah:” Not upon you, [O Muhammad], is [responsibility for] their guidance, but Allah guides whom He wills”.
In Surah Ali ‘Imran: “And say to those who were given the Scripture and [to] the unlearned, “Have you submitted yourselves?” And if they submit [in Islam], they are rightly guided; but if they turn away – then upon you is only the [duty of] notification. And Allah is Seeing of [His] servants.” And in Surah Al-Kafirun: “For you is your religion, and for me is my religion.” In many occasions, Quran says that Allah guides whom He wills. Islam forgives everything but blasphemy, gives human the right to think and sense in his/her own matters and orders human to seek that and accept the consequences of his/her deeds and choices, as “There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion”.
Human’s right of freedom and no slavery:
Islam’s view to slavery indicates Quran interest in human right, contrary to what Islam enemies imagine. Islam legitimized emancipation, and did not legitimized slavery. Before Islam, slavery was legal, in all forms of positive and religious law, including sale slavery, bond or debt slavery. Not to mention captive slavery, which Judaism allowed. Christianity emerged while it was allowed, did not prohibit or indicate its prohibition in future. Paul the Apostle ordered slaves to obey their masters:
“Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God; And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men” (Col 2 3:22-23)
Paul ordered slaves to obey their masters, according to the flesh, to be honest in their service, fearing God, not to work just as their masters observe them as men pleasers, but considering the Lord and reward, as the verse continues saying: “Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance”.
Peter the Apostle gave the same order. Church fathers necessitated it as atonement for humankind sins, undertook by slave, for the wrath of the great lord they deserved. St. Thomas Aquinas, who was also a philosopher, did not object to slavery, but recommended it, as according to his teacher, Aristotle, is a case on which people were created and a human settling for lesser share of life did not contradict religions.
Greek civilization legitimized common and private slavery system. Ages followed with this system as common among the known nations in the corners of the world. This is how the world was when Islam emerged. No one found slavery strange, or felt a need to amend its system. Islam prohibited all kinds of slavery, except for what is now allowed in nations that agreed to stop slavery in the 18th century till now. Nations agreed on allowing captivity and keeping the captives, until the warring parties reconcile to exchange or compensate for captives by blood money and fine. This is the type of slavery, or in the right term, i.e. captivity, that Islam allowed. Allah says in Surah Muhammad:” either [confer] favor afterwards or ransom [them] until the war lays down its burdens.”
Quran motivated Muslims to accept ransom from captive and his/her allies. Surah An-Nur states: “And those who seek a contract [for eventual emancipation] from among whom your right hands possess – then make a contract with them if you know there is within them goodness and give them from the wealth of Allah which He has given you.”
Among the methods Quran sought to generalize emancipation and expediting captives ransom, that it made emancipation as an expiation, , instead of slavery, for many sins such as wrongful death and breaking an oath. Quran states, in Surah An-Nisa: “And whoever kills a believer by mistake – then the freeing of a believing slave and a compensation payment presented to the deceased’s family [is required][..] then [only] the freeing of a believing slave.”, In Surah Al-Ma’idah: “Allah will not impose blame upon you for what is meaningless in your oaths, but He will impose blame upon you for [breaking] what you intended of oaths. So its expiation is the feeding of ten needy people from the average of that which you feed your [own] families or clothing them or the freeing of a slave.”, in Surah Al-Mujadila: “And those who pronounce thihar from their wives and then [wish to] go back on what they said – then [there must be] the freeing of a slave before they touch one another”, and in Surah Al-Balad: “But he has not broken through the difficult pass. And what can make you know what is [breaking through] the difficult pass? It is the freeing of a slave or feeding on a day of severe hunger, an orphan of near relationship.”
In regards of slavery, whether not allowed or allowed till today in captivity system, Islam legitimized emancipation. Quran even preceded international laws by declaring state’s obligation towards seeking the release and ransoming of its captives.
Family rights as an implicit introduction to respecting elders and children:
Human rights are associated to individual and family. No doubt, Quran has given the family, especially the parents, rights that their implementation bears all kindness, love and respect and offers to community an introduction to respecting elders and senior citizens and prevents child and newborn abuse, which we have proudly achieved in modern civilization. Noting that Quran has mentioned these rights thousands of years ago, as general principles that preserve human’s, whether newborn or senior, child or a parent, right in decent life. Manners that a human acquires will not survive, when abandoning and severing the links to the family. Who is a n enemy to the family is an enemy to mankind, in its past and future. Today, the family holds together what humankind had built and will take it tomorrow to its future, era after era and generation following a generation. Where is no family, there is no nation, nor humanity.
Allah says in Surah Al-Furqan: “And it is He who has created from water a human being and made him [a relative by] lineage and marriage. And ever is your Lord competent [concerning creation].”
He also says in Surah Al-An’am : “Say, “Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited to you. [He commands] that you not associate anything with Him, and to parents, good treatment” and in Surah Al-Isra: “And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], “uff,” and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word.”
Also, He says in Surah Al-An’am:” Those will have lost who killed their children in foolishness without knowledge.”
In Surah Al-Isra Allah says: “And do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you.”
Women’s rights:
We cannot be talking about family in Quran, as an example of human rights, without mentioning women’s rights. Quran did not degrade woman in any aspect of her common life and domesticity, on which she was raised. Quran raised her from rock bottom she went down into in previous civilization and nations’ creeds, before Islam, influenced by these civilizations, which did not satisfy, nor have utmost respect for woman. In Roman Empire, She was a follower with minor rights, but did not have any independent rights at all. In Indian civilization, she was an obstacle to salvation from body life, her right to life was expired by the death of her husband, as she would be cremated and not live after him, otherwise she would be cursed. Woman in Ancient Egyptian civilization had a share of dignity that allowed her to rise to the throne, but in the same civilization spread the belief of original sin, where it was widespread that woman was the reason of this sin, successor of Satan; no soul would survive unless by surviving her.
In pre-Islamic Arabia, Bedouin life gave woman some freedom. She would water, shepherd and extract food. Yet the same live awakened fathers’ desire for an offspring of boys and made drove their desire to an off spring. Female infanticide was common out of pity from shame.
In Europe’s dark ages, woman was a second degree creature, with lost rights, a follower to man and was treated badly and sometimes brutally.
Then Quran came and Allah says, In Surah Al-Baqarah: “And due to the wives is similar to what is expected of them”,
In Surah An-Nahl: “And when one of them is informed of [the birth of] a female, his face becomes dark, and he suppresses grief. He hides himself from the people because of the ill of which he has been informed. Should he keep it in humiliation or bury it in the ground? Unquestionably, evil is what they decide”,
In Surah An-Nisa: “Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allah has given one over the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth”,
In Surah At-Talaq: “Lodge them [in a section] of where you dwell out of your means”,
In Surah Al-Baqarah: “Upon the father is the mothers’ provision and their clothing according to what is acceptable”,
In Surah Al-Ahzab: “O You who have believed, when you marry believing women and then divorce them before you have touched them, then there is not for you any waiting period to count concerning them. So provide for them and give them a gracious release”, and
In Surah Al- Baqarah: “Divorce is twice. Then, either keep [her] in an acceptable manner or release [her] with good treatment. And it is not lawful for you to take anything of what you have given them unless both fear that they will not be able to keep [within] the limits of Allah”.
The Prophet, PBUH, said: “A matron should not be given in marriage except after consulting her; and a virgin should not be given in marriage except after her permission.”
Allah says in Surah Ar-Rum: “And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy.”
What Quran says about rights, freedom and equality of human is a proof of the greatness of this religion, which preceded the modern civilization to establishing human’s rights at all levels. Islam does not recognize the ancestral sin or falling from the human’s nature to ales nature. No one is judged for someone else’s sin, even their father. Allah says in Surah Fatir, Surah Al-An’am and Surah Az-Zumar: “no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another”,
In Surah At-Tin: “We have certainly created man in the best of stature”, and in Surah Al-Isra: “And [for] every person We have imposed his fate upon his neck” and in Surah At-Tur: “Every person, for what he earned, is retained.”
Finally, perhaps we acknowledge that human rights, as an individual and a family, were maintained in Islam, in a manner unprecedented in previous civilizations and Abrahamic religions.
We even say that Islam is the founder of human democracy of recognized, not practical plans as mentioned, rights. Islam attended to equality and individual responsibility and added a recommendation of ruling systems based on consultation, which are the elements of material human rights in modern civilization. Human democracy, in Islam, is associated with human, not a necessity dictated by circumstances, as human is entitled to his/her rights, as a human equal to all humans.
However, human rights clearly recognized by Quran have been overlooked by many Muslims. Hence the confusion between dictatorship acts in Islamic world towards human’s rights to choose and of freedom and showcases the position of Quran. A confusion that we want to remove from mind to create clearer vision that Quran’s position on these rights preceded all modern civilizations to recognizing them, not under pressure of a lobby or it serves group interests, but because Quran’s position on basic rights is philosophical and principles. It is only associated with Islam believe in equality of equality of human in rights, individual’s freedom and positivity of expressing his/ her opinion in matters of his/ her life.
