BadJezebel -> RE: Israel says screw you US (6/8/2009 1:24:21 AM)
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: MissSepphora1 Lebanon just had a democratic vote today. It's noting new, they've been having them for decades now. So how exactly is Israel the "only democratic nation in the middle ease?" Since, of course, Lebanon is in the middle east, right north of Israel. WHAT????!!!?? What do you know about Lebanon? Are you kidding me? Ghassan Tuéni is one of Lebanon's foremost statesmen and political writers. He was Lebanon's ambassador to the United Nations, and is publisher of the Lebanese daily al-Nahar. He is also currently the chairman of the Executive Committee of Balamand University. In his article entitled "Democracy in Lebanon: Anatomy of a Crisis", he writes: A careful analysis of the mis-exercise of democracy in Lebanon leads us to a number of conclusions: The checks and balances established between the executive and legislative branches were made inoperative by an 'evil alliance' between the two, and this took two forms: - The first flowed from the executive towards the legislative branch of government: by practicing extensive nepotism and confessional favouritism, to the detriment of the rule of law, a corrupt undemocratic executive could secure re-election for its party or group in parliament. Hence, instead of emerging from a parliamentary majority, the governing clique "elected" its own majority, and thus could theoretically perpetuate its power unless a major crisis caused a para-constitutional emergency which brought about a change, usually through the dissolution of parliament, the appointment of a neutral coalition or even an opposition government, and the announcement of new elections. The dimension of the change, and its constitutional consequences, were inversely proportional to the importance and effectiveness of the president who was the guarantor of the constitution. The second form of this 'evil alliance' flowed from the legislative towards the executive: because of the executive's control of electoral results and its generous dispensation of favours, parliament tended to act with complacency towards the former's actions, and save for some formal inconsequential oratorical performances, it avoided censoring the executive. Electoral laws, which were readjusted by self-serving legislatures with the complicity of the executive, were never allowed to reflect socio-political change, popular aspirations, and the emergence of new classes or political forces. The stagnation of so-called democratic government, and its inability to exercise leadership, particularly in the socio-economic development of the country, were due to an ever-increasing divorce between the ruling clique and the emerging classes. Lebanese democracy was not only cut off from its historical and political roots, it was left floating in a cultural vacuum. Not only was there no genuine democratic society to nurture and renovate constitutional institutions, including political parties, parliamentary blocs, and the civil service, but the very ideals of liberal democracy were thrust aside by the onslaught of authoritarianism and violent change. . . . . The conflictive structures which defined Lebanese democracy unwittingly conspired to reduce the country to a mere vent hole for regional conflicts. The national covenant, originally an expression of confessional consensus, became a symbol of stasis. Lebanon's democratic institutions, which were intended to help prepare for the race towards economic progress and stronger democratic rule, became vehicles for the clashing interests of regional powers and their local pawns. The Lebanese parliament deteriorated from being a forum for partisan competition and debate into one for partisan confrontation. And, most significantly, Lebanese political parties, through ideological affinities or financial incentives, genuine fears or pure cynicism, ceded their decisionmaking capabilities to their so-called foreign allies. Gradually, the issues at stake for the Lebanese ceased to be Lebanese issues. http://www.lcps-lebanon.org/pub/breview/br6/tuenibr6.html
|
|
|
|