democracy in the middle east expanded to include about 200,000 more people

[Ike]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060629/D8IHTBU00.html


KUWAIT CITY (AP) - Women in this conservative oil-rich emirate voted in parliamentary elections for the first time Thursday, a vote that also inspired surprisingly vocal calls for reform and criticism of the ruling family.

The polls marked a new stage in the U.S. ally's tentative moves toward greater democracy - and not just because of the entry of women. The election brought unprecedented political activism in a country where the ruling family has strong influence over politics, with conservative Islamists joining liberals in demanding electoral reform and protesting corruption.

Women, who won the right to vote and run for office last year, went to separate polling stations from men, choosing among 249 candidates competing for 50 parliamentary seats. Twenty-seven candidates were women.

"Before, election day did not mean anything to us," said Gizlan Dashti, 22, a university student wearing jeans and a red headscarf. "Now, women have a say."

With women making up 57 percent of Kuwait's electorate of 340,000, even fundamentalist Muslims who opposed giving them the right to vote have campaigned for their support.

[Scott D]

sometimes all it takes is a pebble thrown into a pond.

[BoomerJack]

Thanks Ike. I saw something about this this A.M. in the local fishwrapper.

But your numbers confuse me some. Your title says democracy comes to 200,000 but the article says the electorate is 340,000. But that's not really the story. What I find intriguing is that "conservative Islamists" and "fundamentalist Muslims" were on board with this.

I guess in Kuwait the per capita personal income and there's a lot of air conditioning, there's not much point to getting upset about such things as the voting franchise being extended to women.

[Ike]

Thanks Ike. I saw something about this this A.M. in the local fishwrapper.

But your numbers confuse me some. Your title says democracy comes to 200,000 but the article says the electorate is 340,000. But that's not really the story. What I find intriguing is that "conservative Islamists" and "fundamentalist Muslims" were on board with this.

I guess in Kuwait the per capita personal income and there's a lot of air conditioning, there's not much point to getting upset about such things as the voting franchise being extended to women.

the numbers aren't that confusing really. 57% of 340,000 is 193,800 and I rounded up.

but yes, you hit the nail on the head about the intriguing part. I don't think its nessecarily that they were on board with it, but rather that once they saw the tide shifting that way, they realized that with such a powerful new force entering the electorate, that they had better speak to the women's issues now if they wanted to hold on to the power they have.

[royalfan5]

Thanks Ike. I saw something about this this A.M. in the local fishwrapper.

But your numbers confuse me some. Your title says democracy comes to 200,000 but the article says the electorate is 340,000. But that's not really the story. What I find intriguing is that "conservative Islamists" and "fundamentalist Muslims" were on board with this.

I guess in Kuwait the per capita personal income and there's a lot of air conditioning, there's not much point to getting upset about such things as the voting franchise being extended to women.
I think people underrate how essential a solid middle class is to expanding democracy. Kuwait has that, and that is a huge boost to developing a solid civil society. There aren't a lot of high functioning democratic societies without middle classes, and that stems from free markets and property rights. Voting gets all the press, but the real key to democracy is economic oppurtunity.

[KaiserSooner]

but yes, you hit the nail on the head about the intriguing part. I don't think its nessecarily that they were on board with it, but rather that once they saw the tide shifting that way, they realized that with such a powerful new force entering the electorate, that they had better speak to the women's issues now if they wanted to hold on to the power they have.

Yep, sorta like Disraeli and Bismarck did in the late 19th Century in being forced to address the concerns of factory workers.

[lefty]

I think people underrate how essential a solid middle class is to expanding democracy. Kuwait has that, and that is a huge boost to developing a solid civil society. There aren't a lot of high functioning democratic societies without middle classes, and that stems from free markets and property rights. Voting gets all the press, but the real key to democracy is economic oppurtunity.

I think the history of modern, democratic, market economies certainly supports your claim. Given the shrinking of the middle class in the US over the past 30 or so years, is our vibrant democracy at risk? For a review of the economics of the middle class see

http://www.economist.com/world/displaystory.cfm?story_id=7055911

For a perspective on the role of property see

U.S. Losing Its Middle-Class Neighborhoods
From 1970 to 2000, Metro Areas Showed Widening Gap Between Rich, Poor Sections

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/21/AR2006062101735.html

[Frozen Sooner]

I don't believe you. We didn't blow up ANY of their buildings!

I'm kidding.

Hooray for the Kuwaitis.

[swardboy]

Amazing what happens to a people freed from Saddam.....

[TUSooner]

The whole thing sounds kinda "liberal" to me.

;)

[Jerk]

The whole thing sounds kinda "liberal" to me.

;)

Really? Are they handing out condoms to 6th graders?

[Scott D]

Really? Are they handing out condoms to 6th graders?

to a conservative muslim this could be relatively the same thing.

[KaiserSooner]

Amazing what happens to a people freed from Saddam.....

Wrong country. That, or just an interesting spin on Saddam's 6 month occupation of Kuwait some 15 years ago.