The Process Of Democratization Of The African Nation Of Tunisia (Term Paper Sample)

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The Democratization of Tunisia
The onset of the Arab Springs has its roots in Tunisia. Following the self-immolation of a Tunisian citizen, what followed was an unprecedented domino effect that would see the toppling of most leaders of the Middle East. Having been synonymous with dictatorships and authoritarian governments, the revolution brought about an end to most these regimes, and with a great deal of hope for democracy within the middle east. Six down the line however, most of this nations remain in political limbo following the failure of the process in bringing about successful succession. Syria and Libya for instance remain at war even as military groups fight over leading the country. The only glimmer of hope in the entire Arab revolution has been Tunisia that has succeeded in installing a democratic government into place. This essay explores the key aspects of the Tunisian transition that resulted in its success as compared to its Arab Spring counterparts.
Democracy entails the ability of the people to engage in political decision making through voting for the leaders of their choice. The installation of a democratic system can take many forms, however two dominant theories have been established in regards to the process that is taken towards achieving the democracy (Rand, p.47). On one hand there is a structural view whose main focus on systemic and deep rooted causes of democratization and the agency theory whose main focus is on the agents that determine and direct the course of democratization. Tunisian democratic process can be traced through a mix of these theories considering the course of events that brought about its democratization.
Looking at the Tunisian society before the revolution, it stands out as a highly literate society due to its exceptional educational system. In this regard therefore, it had a well informed public which was willing to engage in meaningful dialogue and conversations with the goal of achieving a peaceful transition into a democracy. Another key aspect of the Tunisian society was its huge middle class population, with a well, educated public, most of these individuals held various employment positions throughout the government. The third and most essential element about Tunisia was the fact that it had a strong and well-organized labor party.
From a structural point of view it becomes clear that the Tunisian society had all the key prerequisites of a democracy in place. According to Martin Lipset, the attainment of democracy requires a solid economic background upon which it can fall back to, and rely on during the process of democratization. He asserts that: ““…democracy is related to the state of economic development. The more well-to-do a nation, the greater the chances that it will sustain democracy (Lipset, 93).” The huge middle class population reflects the economic well-being of Tunisia right before the revolution.
This particular aspect was instrumental in ensuring a successful transition process within the country. The structural theory of democratization highlights another crucial necessity that has to present for a successful process to be achieved. In his argument Lipset asserts that a successful democracy requires a systematic interrelatedness within a nations, social, political and economic systems (p78). In what is defined as modernization, it becomes clear that various institutions need to be in place. From courts, to hospitals as well as security systems, a nation has to ensure that all these institutions are effective before engaging in a democratization process.
The Tunisia society does reflect a strong institutional background, an aspect that can be singled out within its well-organized labor force. It is worth noting the crucial role that labor unions played in ensuring the country’s revolution and subsequent democratization became a success. It was the synergetic efforts between Tunisian Bar Association, Human Rights Leagues, employers union as well as the General Union of Tunisian workers that provided the much needed oversight in the democratization process (Miller, p.102). The institutional framework within the country was strong enough to bring about a successful revolution and democracy.
From efficient schools, hospitals and courts to an apolitical military, the Tunisian government had allow the necessary prerequisites for a successful democracy. The homogeneity of the Tunisian society can be traced to its labor organization, the General Union of Tunisian Workers which encompasses a multitude of professions, a factor that goes a long way in uniting individuals from different socio-economic classes. It is important to note the fact that while the military was involve in securing the nation, it remained outside the political discourse, allowing for a purely political process to be conducted in the process of the democratization. The nation’s administrative apparatus are equally effective and can be found throughout the nation.
From an agency theory perspective of democratization, several aspects can be singled out within the Tunisian process. The agency proses a number of approaches that can be employed in the installation of a new democracy. For the Tunisian case, the strategic of so-called transition is a perfect fit. The transition theory proposes that democratization comes about in phases without which a successful transition is impossible. According to Teorell the democratization process is comprised of three major phases namely; the liberalization process which is primarily a stage of preparation; the decision phase, in which elections are conducted to install an elected government into power; the third one being the habituation phase in which consolidation of the new system occurs.
Tunisia’s preparatory stage is comprised of the onset of the revolution, which was sparked by the self-Immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi. The ensuring protests and online-activism lay down the foundation and structure of the course that the nation would take in bringing about change within the society. The unified and all-encompassing nature of the resistance in Tunisia was essential in creating an appropriate liberalization phase. The most essential aspect of this particular stage was facilitated by the social platforms such as Facebook, which allowed for the involvement of all individuals right from the grassroots through to the elites, as well as women.
The holistic element in the nation’s preparatory stage provide a solid and firm foundation upon which a democratic society could be initiated. By collecting ideas and opinions from a cross the divide meant that more individuals felt as being part of the process of change. A good example is to be found in the statement by some of the women during the liberalization phase. In one of the online platforms, they remark that;
“The goal is to fight for the preservation of our status in civil society, to exchange ideas and information that can help understand how the new democracy works, and to stay united to defend our interests against some movements that can be harmful to our rights. Actions may follow. (Zlitni and Touati, p. 54).”
This remark goes a long way in capturing the strength of the Tunisian society primarily through its ability to integrate all areas of society into the liberalization.
The transition theory posits the democratization phase as the second step in the process of attaining democratization. This phase is primary marked by the creation of a platform upon which promoters of democracy can operate. For Tunisia this stage was market by an increase in the number of political parties as well as civic organizations, as is captured by Tucker in: Divergence and Decline: The Middle East and the World after the Arab Spring. Tucker points out the fact that Tunisia was largely under an oppressive regime which limited political participation and organization of any kind (p.2). However, with the revolution at hand, and the totalitarian regime ousted, there was enough space for the civic society to engage in the political process.
The trade unions, led by the General Union of Tunisian Workers brokered for platform upon which a national dialogue could be conducted. All attempts at the monopolization of power within the political class were thwarted by the strong the civic society which was united under the all encompassing General Union of Tunisian Workers. By managing to unite various arms of the civic society, it became a crucial force that countered the power of the political parties and the government that has been
Another crucial agency in the process of democratizing Tunisia was the gendered agency led by the Tunisian women. The installation of Islamist political parties into most of the country’s involved in the Arab Spring has been a major cause of failure in democratization. For Tunisia however, this element was countered by allowing for gender-parity rule during the democratization process. In other words in the development of a candidate list, even as new political systems came into place, providing an even platform for participation by all members of society went a long way in creating a sense of inclusivity, a factor that Tucker singles out as one of the most crucial elements in the democratic transition of Tunisia (Tucker, p.3).
The final stage in the transition theory is that of consolidation of democracy. The culmination of a democratization process involves the installation of political leaders into office through free and fair elections. According to Teorell, the ability of a nation to succeed and effectively transition through the various phases of a democratization process are to be found in interaction between the key players within the regime (p.19). For Tunisia, this included the trade unions, civil society groups and the...