Arab enlightenment?

During the 18th century a movement developed in Europe called the "Age of Enlightenment," that opposed the conservative forces of the Church and State and based itself on ideals of reason and the rights of man. These ideals developed over a large area of Europe and North America and were responsible for the US Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights that were based on the French Declaration of the Rights of Man. Many progressive results came from this movement, including the acceptance of minority rights within democracy, the development and acceptance of science and the protection of individual rights under law and the empowerment of women. Many people think and hope that the current series of uprisings in the Arab world that have thrown off the yoke of several long-term dictators, is a similar, parallel movement, if only three hundred years later. That is why Pres. Obama announced at the G8 Summit that he and his European allies will establish a large fund to support the development of democracy in those Arab countries.

However, the Age of Enlightenment had a darker side, an underbelly of resentment stoked by the release of state control that also led to the rise of repressive ideologies, the French Revolution, Fascism, Communism and Nazism. These other aspects became relevant in reading about the formation of an Egyptian Nazi Party, as well as the fact that the Egyptian Moslem Brotherhood is organizing to contest the upcoming elections in Egypt. It is quite possible, although unlikely, that a thriving democracy can develop in Egypt, and that as a reaction to the years of repression the resulting government will be liberal and tolerant. However, if the Arab world follows the European model, rather than the American one, then we can expect the formation of governments that resent the basic idea that the former dictators kow-towed to America and "the Jews" and believe that now is the time to get even. This will lead to anti-American majorities and a move to not only cancel the Israel-Egyptian peace treaty, but also to take actions against Israel and in support of a Palestinian State.

How these actions will manifest themselves is hard to predict, because they depend so much on the development of public opinion, the nature of the leaders who emerge and the unpredictable current of events. But, if Europe is anything to go by there will be a dark and stormy period before we emerge into the "sunny uplands" predicted by Churchill. At least the Muslims have before them a version of a vision of life as it could be that is transparent, efficient, electronic and tolerant. This works, but they are likely to reject it, because they detest anything that smacks of western culture. It is a hard lesson for them to learn that these ideals are universal, as Obama also stated in his speech to the British Parliament in Westminster, it's just that the western world came to the realization of liberal secular democracy first. Eventually the Arab/Muslim world will have to learn to accept this.