Iraq’s democratic dilemmas: from entrenched dictatorship to fragile democracy

Abdulla, Namo (2010) Iraq’s democratic dilemmas: from entrenched dictatorship to fragile democracy. Information, society and justice journal, 3 (2). pp. 107-115. ISSN 1756-1078

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Abstract / Description

The US-led allied invasion of Iraq in 2003 toppled Iraq’s long ruling dictator, Saddam Hussein, promising to import democracy to a country whose history had been shaped by both religious and secular totalitarianism. Lack of deep-understanding of the Iraq’s culture had led to the former US administration to equate the demise of Saddam with the demise of totalitarianism. The presence of Saddam was a great obstacle of democracy, but his removal changed little. Saddam and his former like-minded people created a culture capable of producing as many dictators as it wants. This essay argues that Iraq’s political culture is highly undemocratic; and thus the future of democracy in the country is bleak. It proves so by highlighting the most important incompatible elements of Iraq’s culture with democracy.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Information, society and justice journal; Democracy; Oligarchy; Political elites; Authoritarianism; Political power; Globalization; Globalisation; Islam; Ethno-nationalism; Iraq
Subjects: 300 Social sciences > 320 Political science
Department: School of Social Sciences (to June 2021)
School of Social Sciences and Professions
Depositing User: Mary Burslem
Date Deposited: 30 Mar 2015 14:19
Last Modified: 02 Jul 2020 15:22
URI: https://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/id/eprint/102

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