July 20, 1969. December 25, 1991. April 6, 1896.
A few of the great firsts in history: Apollo 11 lands on the moon, the USSR breaks apart, and the first modern Olympic Games are held.
And now, May 23, 2012: The date of the first Egyptian election for President as a “true” democracy.
There are a variety of reasons to include these elections among significant events in world history, but one in particular stands out from the crowd. Egypt is not alone. It is only the first.
In the wake of the Egyptian revolution, several countries have chosen to follow in their footsteps, notable Libya and recently Syria. However, while these countries have won the first battle in their fight for international recognition and lasting stability, their ability to do so is going to depend on an extraordinary number of factors and their ability to control them. This task is by no means easy, and with only the examples from the distant past, the road is unclear, and riddled with obstacles.
For Egypt, these obstacles are beginning to become clear. Corruption is still a major problem, and despite the sweeping reforms enacted, there is little indication that change is coming anytime soon. This is primarily due to a lack of enforcement, a symptom of a greater sickness: overextension.
This malady is one that has plagued fledging governments for eons, and may yet be Egypt’s downfall. In a situation as exceptional as this, however, it is critical that Egypt quickly find its limits, as the eyes of the international community are watching for their victory or downfall, with especially Libyan and Syrian communities anxiously awaiting the outcome of Egypt’s bold venture into the world of independence.
“If they can do it, so can we.”
WE
No comments:
Post a Comment