Reassessing the Reasons of Democracy Deficit in the Middle East Through the Role of Islam

Yıl 2020, Cilt: 7 Sayı: 2, 35 - 59, 31.12.2020

İbrahim Karataş

https://doi.org/10.26513/tocd.679944

Öz

There has been a large number of challenges to undemocratic regimes of the Middle East by their populations due to the ban on their participation to the decision-making process. Among many factors, Islamic faith and legislation are regarded to have more role in political conflicts than others. Particularly, the idea that Islam and democracy are not compatible with each other has prevailed and led to other reasons to be ignored in debates. This study analyzes the reasons for democracy deficit in the region such as insecure circumstances that enable governments to abandon basic human and political rights, hydrocarbon revenues that make regimes non-dependent to populations, tribalism which is inherent to traditional Middle Eastern politics, the lack of civil society and the Islam effect. The study asserts that the role of Islam is unfairly exaggerated since it does not offer a certain political system. Besides, such approaches also mean underestimating the magnitude of the damages other reasons cause. By analyzing the impact of Islam on governance, its use as a tool by political and anti-political Islamists as well as its compliance with democracy, this research aims to reveal to what extent Islam can be attributed to democracy deficit of the region.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Islam, Sharia, Middle East, Arab States, Authoritarianism

Ortadoğudaki Demokrasi Eksikliğinin Sebeplerinin İslam’ın Rolü Üzerinden Yeniden Değerlendirilmesi

Öz

Ortadoğunun demokratik olmayan rejimlerine, halkları tarafından karar verme sürecine dahil edilmemeleri nedeniyle çok sayıda meydan okumalarda bulunulmuştur. Ancak siyasi çatışmalarda bütün faktörler arasında en büyük rolün İslam ve İslami yönetim biçimine ait olduğu iddia edilmiştir. Bilhassa İslam ve demokrasi uyumsuzluğu fikri baskın gelmiş ve diğer nedenlerin ihmal edilmesine yol açmıştır. Bu çalışma bölgede demokrasi eksikliğine neden olan (1) hükümetlere temel siyasi ve hakları iptal etme hakkı veren güvensizlik ortamı, (2) rejimleri halklara olan bağımlılıktan kurtaran hidrokarbon gelirleri, (3) Ortadoğu yönetimlerinde geleneksel olarak bulunan kabilecilik, (4) sivil toplumun eksikliği ve (5) İslam’ın etkisi gibi nedenleri incelemektedir. Çalışma, İslam’ın herhangi bir siyasi yönetim biçimi önermemesine rağmen çekişmelerdeki rolünün abartıldığını iddia etmektedir. Ayrıca, bu tür yaklaşımlar diğer sebeplerin güçlü etkisinin küçümsendiği manasına gelmektedir. Bu araştırma, İslam’ın bölgenin demokrasi eksikliği üzerinde ne kadar rolü olduğunu dinin yönetim üzerindeki etkisi, siyasi İslamcılar ve karşıtlarınca bir malzeme gibi kullanılması ve demokrasi ile olan uyumunu inceleyerek ortaya çıkarmayı amaçlamaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

İslam, Şeriat, Ortadoğu, Arap Ülkeleri, , Otoriteryanizm

Kaynakça

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