Beyond the facade : political reform in the Arab world /

This discussion on political reform is a part of a larger effort on the part of the Beirut-based Carnegie Middle East Center. The goal of the researchers is to provide the necessary background to introduce political reform into the Arab Middle East and North Africa in order to increase the level of democracy there. Ten case studies--Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Algeria, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Yemen--are presented. The report was spurred by the publication of the United Nations Development Programme's Arab Human Development Report 2002-2005, which pointed out a significant absence of democratic quality to the governments in the region. The terrorist attack on the US in September 2001 also highlighted the presence of radical forces undermining political development in the area. The authors conclude that reform, when it comes, must be uniquely designed to fit the diverse natures of each of the political systems. Perhaps the single greatest obstacle to the introduction of democracy is the inability of these populations to develop mass organizations. Finally, external political actors that favor the introduction of democracy in the region must align themselves with reform elements in each of the countries there. Summing Up: Recommended. General readers and upper-division undergraduate students through professionals. S. R. Silverburg Catawba College