How Shall We Support Democracy?

At this moment (May Day!), the outcome of the uprisings across the Arab world is radically uncertain. The massive demonstrations and the early successes in Tunisia and Egypt were exhilarating, and the courage of the Syrian demonstrators is inspiring—even though we know almost nothing about who they are. This is a revolutionary moment in the Middle East, and in most of the countries in upheaval, the rebels seem to be strongly committed to nonviolence and, at least in their public statements, to democracy. But the counterrevolution is close on the heels of the revolution, and no one knows what will happen next.

Still, I can say something about what I hope will happen. The Facebook rebels who led the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt and who play some part, though it isn’t possible to say how large a part, in other countries too, represent an important (because they are young, active, committed, and media-savvy) but fairly small segment of the overall population. The number of “no” votes on the Egyptian referendum of March 19 was an early indication of their political weakness. They are not going to seize power in any Arab country. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, for if they did seize power they couldn’t hold it without a new version of authoritarianism—to which they are in principle opposed. So what I hope for is a new regime that is free of religious control, tolerant of an independent civil society, and willing to make room for argument and organ...