Tunisia, Research Paper Example

This paper examines the North African country of Tunisia as an authoritarian country that aspires to membership of  entrance to the European Economic Community (EEC).  The country, despite reformations, still has a number of problems applicable to human rights, inability for freedom of speech by the opposition, with people being imprisoned by the current regime for dissent.  The paper is divided into four significant parts: (i) Background and introduction to Tunisia as an emerging democracy (ii) Analysis of the forces that have impeded progress (iii) Integration into the EU democracies and (iv) Summary that outlines future development of democracy in Tunisia.

Introduction and Background

It was on November 7 1987 that Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali took power in Tunisia in a quiet coup d’états. He had previously held office as both the Prime Minister and Intelligence Chief under the previous administration.  Despite the political problems that ensued in the arena of an authoritarian government, nevertheless in the next decade Tunisia continued tom make continued progress and is one of the few countries in the Middle East and North Africa credited for economic, political and social reforms.

Tunisia has attempted to strike a balance between the requirement of its’ neighbours in the Arab world and that of the pro western democracies. It has increased the degree of respect for women and improved facilities for students, particularly in the areas of law and medicine.  Women are now seen to be playing a more dominant role in most aspects of Tunisian society including Government, Education and the Arts.

Tunisia has largely repressed the Islamic sect in progressing its own political agenda of reformation under Ben Ali.  The Arab world has watched this with great suspicion. Tunisia has a parliamentary system with an official opposition but this has not worked out well. The opposition have feared to speak out openly for fear of political consequences this may invite from the police including being thrown into jail.  In addition to critics of the president being jailed there have been a number of human rights abuses that have included phone lines being disconnected, passports revoked and people being subjected to intimidation and harassment.

Forces that have impeded progress

It was in the 1970’s and 1980’s that witnessed a rising working class that championed the principles of democracy; this in turn resulted on pressure on the single party system in order to make democratic reforms.  Despite this by the end of the 1970’s unemployment had almost doubled and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) fell by almost 50%.  That resulted in the first General Strike in the country.  “Islamist groups fearing the rise of the left became more politicized and critical of the regime”  (King).

Tunisia has attempted to become a barometer of the Israel – Palestinian conflict and between 1982-93 the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) maintained its headquarters in Tunis.  Tunis has since tried to be an influential player on the Arabic political scene but it has lacked the power of the richer oil producing  Arab states.  The low profile and acceptance of Tunisia by the United States has impeded progress in a number of key areas including that of tourism, investment and economic development. They have differences between that of men and women, the educated and the illiterate, the religious and non religious, the rich and the poor.  Garfinkle believed that this alone will make it difficult to integrate an Islamic country into a modern Western democracy.  (Kapiszewski).

In the last decade the Tunisian authorities have been vehemently opposed to any type of criticism. Rather than promoting a rise to democratic trends they have been opposed to it.

The west has viewed  that if Middle Eastern Countries move towards a more democratic way of governing themselves it will strengthen their economies. A view not necessarily shared by the leaders in the Arabic world. There remains however “scepticism about how much gain they will make in political freedom, meaningful shifts in the distribution of political authority or sustained improvements in the economic well being”  (Ellis Goldberg).

“The poor will remain poor around here”. King puts forward the argument that the animals of the peasant farmer need rain and grass, but the rich deny them access to their lands. Historically they were able to water and feed their animals anywhere and on occasion they were even given a little money. Now the new rich people are essentially the middle class and exist between the state and the poor people.  Affluence has made them less tolerant to the poorer people in Tunisian society  Hence to the ordinary man ‘ what price democracy?’  (King)

Islamic laws and religious beliefs initially impeded progress of democracy but the women in Tunisia have gained the most from the political reforms. They are now amongst the strongest support of the Ben Ali administration.  (Sorkin) The women in Tunisia are amongst the most advanced in the Arab world. This in terms of legal rights in divorce and the ability to own their own property.  We now see more than 50% of Tunisian graduates being women. Other Islamic countries lag far behind Tunisia in this regard. ” Most Tunisians lament, have acquiesced to a social bargain. In exchange for middle class lifestyles, social services, employment and land ownership”.  (Hochman).  Tunisia has somewhat slowed on its economic progress but like a number of the North African countries seems to have stayed out of the financial woes of Europe.

Summary – Future democracy in Tunisia

King argues that “democratic prospects are enhanced when economic inequality decreases and the balance of class power moves in favour of the subordinate interests” (King).

Tunisia’s press still remains under tight censorship regulations and does not enjoy the freedom of the press. A lot of the coverage is geared towards showing the President and the current regime in good light to the people. Journalists who do not obey the state rulings find themselves punished. This has included withdrawal of passports and detention. There have been additional reports of Journalist being beaten up and subject to severe interrogation. Ben Ali’s critics see him as a dictator and police chief with a deplorable human rights record.

These returns are slow to emerge and provide the anti-democratic movement the option to highlight that the reforms only benefit the rich and not the ordinary people. Iraq, Iran and Egypt.  Each of these countries are going through transitions.  Democracy is a slow process and it is the will of the people to change their governments and the way of building a new future towards freedom, liberty and civil rights.  History has demonstrated that this is a very stony road and often taken violent conflict and wars to achieve.  It is hoped that the new emerging democracies find the road a less painful and troublesome process. It is considered that Tunisia will not improve in the eyes of the west until Ben Ali takes on a more transparent and international  role and takes action is dealing with the culture of deceit and corruption that surrounds him. If he takes a role in the removal of corruption and dealing more honestly with his people it will demonstrate to the west that he is serious about reform in Tunisia  and that the policies of his administration are truly progressive.

Works Cited

Davoodi, George T. Abed and Hamid R. International Monetary Fund. 2003. 15 4 2010 <http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/med/2003/eng/abed.htm>.

Ellis Goldberg, Resat Kasaba and J Migdal. “Rules and Rights in the Middle East.” Ellis Goldberg, Resat Kasaba and J Migdal. Rules and Rights in the Middle East. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1993. 69-97.

Esposito, John. Washington Post. 25 8 2009. 15 4 2010 <http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/john_esposito/2009/08/islamists_and_the_future_of_democracy_in_the_arab_world.html>.

Hochman, Dafna. “Divergent paths to democratization: Tunisia, Morroco and Mauritania.” MEPC (Middle East Policy) Volo 4 (2007): 1-17.

Kapiszewski, Andrzej. “Democrratising the Arab states: The case of the Monarchies of the Gulf.” Kapiszewski, Andrzej. Democrratising the Arab states: The case of the Monarchies of the Gulf. Krakow: Krakow International Studies, 2004. Vol 3 72-82.

King, Stephen J. “Liberalization against Democracy.” King, Stephen J. The local Politics of Economic Reform in Tunisia. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2003. 141-153.

Sorkin, Jerry. “The Tunisian Model.” The Middle East Quarterly (2001): 1-5.