Comments on: Arab Spring, Israeli Winter

By: Sam

Sam — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 04:27:09 +0000

“…The reason for this is the persistence of tribalism, which makes democracy very difficult to achieve…”

This is the desired result of those that orchestrate these “movements”. With no strong central power they will lose the ability to protect the State. Masses of squabbling tribes at each others throats. Then they will be destroyed.

By: Isegoria

Isegoria — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 12:30:38 +0000

I suppose tribes resist any national government, but resisting a democracy results in something we don't call democracy, while resisting a dictatorship doesn't render it any less of a dictatorship.

By: Lucklucky

Lucklucky — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 01:55:05 +0000

Even a tribe can be a dam to theocratic government. For example what makes Jordan not go Islamist? Hachemite Tribe.

By: Lucklucky

Lucklucky — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 01:52:31 +0000

Bad article. It is not tribalism that makes democracy difficult. It is the whole culture.

Tribalism also makes very difficult to achieve an Islamic theocratic state, unless one tribe can rule everything. So one of the forces that saves those states from becoming full-bore Islamist is precisely the tribes.