Even as Egypt braces for what’s next, the images from Tahrir are hugely inspiring. They remind us of the unending technological ingenuity of the Egyptian revolutionaries, and of the importance of self-determination: the protagonists are all Egyptian, the international forces seem largely at bay. And there seems some real hope of a thriving democracy emerging from this turbulent process. Fresh from a visit to Tahrir Square, Hani Shukrallah celebrates Egypt’s “continuing revolution” in Ahram online, and says that the apparent popular overthrow of an Islamist regime banishes the tired western paradigm of a clash of civilizations:
Egypt is making world history; in particular, world revolutionary history. Already, it is firmly up there with the two axiomatic revolutions of the modern world, the French and Russian revolutions. The popular upsurge on 30 June has been described as the biggest demonstration in the history of mankind; we would be hard pressed as well to site other examples of two major revolutionary upsurges in the space of two and a half years, overthrowing two regimes (and make no bones about it, the Muslim Brotherhood regime in Egypt is over and done with), meanwhile putting somewhere between 30-40 percent of the nation’s adult population on the streets in a single day.
Simply, there is no historical precedent for any of this. Let alone that even in the grimmest of times during the past two and a half years, under the military/Muslim Brotherhood alliance, under the Muslim Brotherhood/Military alliance, and under the Muslim Brotherhood’s frenzied power grab, popular resistance did not cease for a single day. And it was thus that the first wave of the Egyptian revolution slipped – just like waves are known to do – into the second.
Also, for the first time in modern political history, a popular revolution is in the process of overthrowing an Islamist regime.
Thirty-four years in Pakistan, another 34 years in Iran, 24 years in Sudan, a foreign invasion to oust the Taliban in Afghanistan (and never mind for the moment the fractured and corrupt caricature that has produced), a foreign invasion actually bringing Shia Islamists to power in Iraq, which Saddam had been Islamising already via a debased marriage of degenerate Arab nationalism and Sunni Islamism. Against that backdrop, the overwhelming conviction everywhere was that once in power, Islamists were there to stay – short that is of foreign invasion.
Egyptians, however, did it, in 12 months.
All of which makes it doubly imperative for the revolutionary and democratic forces in the country to be fully aware of their place in history, and for God’s sake to not let the trees blind them to the wonderous magical forest that lies just beyond….
As predominant dogma would have it, the political, social, cultural and economic behaviour of Arabs and Muslims could only be understood by reference to Islam, wherein, supposedly, “freedom” has little or no place.
Tens of thousands of words have been written pontificating on this theme; Mr. [Samuel] Huntington created his absurd little meta-theory of “the clash of civilizations”, the very thrust of which was to presumably explain Arab/Muslim “exceptionalism”; Mr. [Francis] Fukuyama grudgingly admitted that Muslims may indeed be the globalised world’s single exception to his “end of history”, constituted by neo-liberal economic policy and oligarchic liberal democracy.
On one occasion during these fatuous decades, I had to suffer through a lecture by an intensely post modern American scholar in which he argued that Islamism in the Arab and Muslim worlds was the Muslims’ equivalent of the feminist and gay liberation movements in the West. This mind-numbingly boring drivel was thankfully delivered in English, and to an American University in Cairo (AUC) audience, who lapped it up. Had it been delivered to real, as opposed to “fashionable” Islamists, the young post-modern scholar would have been hard put to escape the lecture hall bruise free.
i must admit i am incredibly impressed by the egyptian people. it’s just overwhelmingly inspiring to see this kind of mobilization. i can’t say i have a firm grasp on what is going on (because i don’t!) but i can see with my own eyes and it’s breathtaking.
and i’m jealous. i wish there was this much unity in america.
I disagree.
The salafist are actually protesting right now against the Muslim Brotherhood. Not because he’s a islamist but because he didn’t go far enough. Many outside NGO’s have their hand in this protest to and the U.S. while claiming it has no choice in the matter are backing the so-called “liberal side” of the protest who are burning Muslim Brotherhoods Offices(hardly a sign of enlightenment or a step towards democracy). Also the picture (not being presented by the U.S. press) shows many protesters have a beef with the U.S. Lets not forget the former backers of the Former Dictator who have been trying to undermined democracy and care not a whit for it. I understand theirs people out there that want and desperately seek to keep the hope of democracy but for this to happen they need to respect the votes of millions who voted for the Muslim brotherhood and then organize and win the next election. The problem of course if violent protest are successfully used to oust the president and his party than such violent protest will be used or claimed as justification against the next.
What happens if the salafist win the next election? would one respect the vote of the people or would elections be held again(until the right person/group won)? Than what kind of democracy is this if say the military decides who can or cannot hold power? Same if the “liberals” won the next election? If thousands or millions went on the streets against it would the “liberal” government step down? how about if salafist or the Muslim brotherhood started burning their offices? Than called for such “liberal ” government to step down and the military to take charge?
I hope by now one sees the issue of violence in place of voting.
A note of caution. FWIW, the worst possible outcome is for any democratically elected government in Egypt to be “overthrown.” Everything in Egypt and the region depends on democratic institutions taking hold in Egypt. Everything. Otherwise what’s institutionalized is change by coup, i.e. instability. Orderly transition is the key here, and I’m in no way an ‘orderly transition’ freak.
If Morsi is allowed to become the face of the product of Egyptian democracy now and forever, which he is being used as imho, then the forces of failure (e.g. the “only democracy in the Middle East” chorus, among others) score a huge win.
Tough problem. And to echo Annie, what the Egyptian people are doing is impressive and profound.
I hope that media in the US can be persuaded to differentiate between the transitory negative of an elected fundy and the first-order, long-term, and maybe ultimate positive of institutionalizing the process that elected him. I don’t think that’s happening at the moment.
Thanks for the coverage and analysis.
/Already, it is firmly up there with the two axiomatic revolutions of the modern world, the French and Russian revolutions./
I don’t think she wants Egyptian revolution to be firmly up there with those two.
Just to think of the body count…
The Egyptian people are the soul of the Arab Nation. Yes, I am a VERY proud Palestinian but my respect and admiration for Egypt and its people are immeasurable. President Nasser was a true pan-Arab leader. As the most populous Arab state, it is likely that the next pan-Arab leader will come out of Egypt again.
Egypt and the Arabs in general, and the entire Moslem world I may add, are not extreme fanatics or religious bigots. The heroic Egyptian people are showing the entire world that, while the dominant religion is Islam, they want to live in the 21st century, they want to modernize their society, and that modernization does not mean westernization.
So I salute the heroic Egyptian people and their march towards democracy. Egypt and the Arab Nation has entered what I believe will be a 10-year upheaval after which the new structure of the Middle East will emerge with a democratic core that will have a pan-Arab middle eastern hue to it.
In the meantime, I urge my fellow Palestinians and our supporters everywhere to learn from our Egyptian brothers and sisters, and to match en-masse within and outside occupied Palestine until we are free of occupation. Coupled with intensifying and accelerating BDS/ICC/ICJ/non-violent actions, we will win. Yes we can!