Political studies of Islamic world

Current Issue

By Issue

By Author

By Subject

Author Index

Keyword Index

cost

About Journal

Aims and Scope

Editorial Board

Publication Ethics

Indexing and Abstracting

Related Links

FAQ

Peer Review Process

Journal Metrics

News

Forms

Guide for Authors

Explanation the role of a new middle class in the process of transition to democracy: A Comparative study of Egypt and Bahrain

    Authors

    1 Ph.D. Student in Political Science, University of Isfahan, Iran,

    2 hossein harsij. Professor, Political Sciences, University of Isfahan.

    3 Hamid Nassaj. Assistant Professor, Political Sciences, University of Isfahan. Iran

    4 Abbas Hatami. Associate Professor, Political Sciences, University of Isfahan

,

Document Type : Research Paper

Abstract

Objective: Based on Huntington’s theory of transition to democracy, it is expected to witness occurrence of democratic systems following the emergence of a new middle class. The main purpose of the present study is to analyze the role of the new middle class in the transition to democracy and review the reasons for not-materialization of the process of transition to democracy in Egypt and Bahrain, in spite of the rise of the new middle class in these countries.
Methods: By using Huntington’s theoretical framework, adopting a comparative method, and collecting information from ratified scientific resources and secondary data, this research comparatively analyzed the process of democratization in Egypt and Bahrain.
Results:Findings of this article indicates that representations of the new middle class, such as the growth of per capita income, higher education, bureaucracy, and communication development indexes, as well as changes in social values, have been increased. However, the process of transition to democracy, in its different types of deformation, displacement, and disintegration, has encountered with serious obstacles in both countries.
Conclusion: Following the victory of the Egyptian revolution in February 2011, the firstphase of transition to democracy is successfully achieved by the collapse of Hosni Mubarak’s authoritarian regime. But, after the coup de ta against President Mohamed Morsi, the pseudo-authoritarianism of the Mubarak era was reproduced by military intervention on 3 July 2013, and the negative role played by external power. Also, entering to the second phase of "strengthening democratic institutions" has been aborted. Similarly, the process of democratization in Bahrain has been stopped in its first phase, that is, the overthrow of dictatorship rule, because of cultural barriers, the rentier nature of the state, and patron-client relationship existed between state and the new middle class.AlsoIn both countries, foreign agents have acted to reinforce authoritarianism.
 

Keywords

References
References
1.   Adibi. hossein.(1980). New Middle Class in Iran, Tehran: Publishers Jame-e.(in Persian)
2.Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years(August 2015). (both sexes, female, male). UIS Data Centre. UNESCO.
3.Afrough, Emad, (2001). "Theoretical perspective of class analysis and development, Tehran: Publisher farhang-e danesh. (in Persian)
4.Ahead of the parliamentary race, what's left of Egypt's political parties?", (7 September 2015). Ahram Online.
5.Ajili, hadi ,keyhan goodarzi and vahid shariatic, (2013), Pathology of the uprising of the people of Bahrain;In the form of new social movements, Biannual Journal - Studies Islamic Awakening,2(4), 9-32. (in Persian)
6.Al-Ekri , Abdulnabi (2012), The role of the Islamic movement In the February 14 uprising, Center for Bahrain  Studies in London. (in Persian)
7.Al Jazeera, (23 November 2011), Bahrain inquiry confirms rights abuses. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
8.al-Zaidi, mofid,(2003), Signs of Democratic Transformation in Bahrain: From the emperor to the constitutional kingdom.Middle East Studies Quarterly,2(34), 23-37. (in Persian)
9.Azghandi, alireza, (2005), An Introduction to the Political Sociology of Iran, Tehran: ghoomes Publishing. (in Persian)
10.  Badawi. Ahmed Mousa.(2016). The class map and social justice pathways in Egypt, Cairo: Arab Center for Research and Studies. (in Persian)
11.  Bashiriyeh, Hossein, (2005 ), Transition to Democracy ,Tehran: Negahe-Moasser Press. (in Persian)
12.  Democracy Index 2019, (8 January 2020),A year of democratic setbacks and popular protest, Economist Intelligence Unit
13.  Eyvazi.Mohammad Rahim, (2008 ),Political Sociology, Tehran: Islamic Azad University Central Tehran Branch. (in Persian)
14.  Faisal Al Yafai (12 November 2012), "Egypt's army fails to grasp the post-Mubarak realities – The National". Thenational.ae.
15.  Global Gender Gap Report (2016), published by the Work Economic Forum (WEF).
16.  Faraji nasiri. Shahriar,hosseim Masoudnia‏ and hossein harsij.(2016 ), The Role of the New Middle Class in the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, A Quarterly Journal World Politics ,4(2), 101-148. (in Persian).
17.  Halpern. Manfred. (1963), Politics of Social Change. Middle East and North Africa, Priceton University Press.
18.  Hamdy. A.hassan, (2011). "Civil Society in Egypt Under the Mubarak Regim", Afro-Asiam. journal of Social Sciences,vol2, no2.
19.  Hanna, nelly,(2004), Culture of the middle class in Ottoman Egypt, Translator by Raouf Abbas Hamed,Cairo: dar-almasriah  (in Persian).
20.  Hatami, abbas,(2018), economic and political globalization in iran  under the government of khatami  and Ahmadinejad :a comparative app roach. Journal of Political science Association 13(1),97-130.(in Persian)
21.  Huntington, Samuel P(1991), Political order in changing societies, translated by Mohsen Salasi, tehran: elm publisher‎.(in Persian)
22.  Huntington, Samuel P(1994), the third wave of democratization, Translator by ahmad shahsa, Tehran: Rozaneh Publication. (in Persian)
23.     Ibrahim. Saad Eddin.(2012). islamic awakening 1 (Causes and roots), Translator by kamal baghjeri, Tehran: Abrar Maaser. (in Persian)
24.     ---,(1997), The constitutional movement,The struggle of the people of Bahrain For democracy,Bahrain: Al Wahda alwatani. (in Persian)
25.  Inflation rate, average consumer prices, (2019), Available on: https://www.imf.org
26.  Khorghami, Mahdi.(2015 ), The role of the United States In the transition to democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan during 2008-2012, Tehran: Islamic Azad University Central Tehran Branch. (in Persian)
27.  Morteza, Mostafa.(2003), The transformations of the middle class in Egyptian society: A sociological vision, Yearbook of Ain Shams, Volume 31, Faculty of Arts, Ain Shams University. (in Persian)
28.   /external/datamapper/PCPIPCH@WEO/OEMDC
29.  Report of Bahrain NGOs, (22 November 2011), (Report). Bahrain Centre for Human Rights.
30.  Rose, Richard, and William James Millar Mackenzie (1991), "Comparing Forms of Comparative, Analysis", Political Studies, No. 39, Vol.3, 446-462
31.  Saei. Ahmad and fereydoun akbarzadeh,(2009 ), Theoretical study of the role of the new middle class In the transition to democracy in the national oil movement. journal of Private Law Research and criminal. 5(11), 103- 134. (in Persian)
32.  Seifzadeh, Hossein and Jalil Roshandel. (2003). Structural conflicts Domestic, regional and international in the Persian Gulf, Tehran: Scientific Research and Middle East Strategic Studies Center. (in Persian)
33.  Social Media Stats Egypt, (May 2019,Information website: http://gs.statcounter.com /social-media-stats/all/bahrain.
34.  Tavassoli. Gholam-Abbas,(2001), Research in Contemporary Sociology, Tehran: jame-e iran Press. (in Persian)
35.  World Economic Outlook Database, (13 June 2019), IMF.org. International Monetary Fund. Retrieved.
36.  World Economic Outlook Database, (April 2019), International Monetary Fund. Database updated in April 2019.
37.الساعة السکانیة الآن, (2019),الجهاز المرکزی للتعبئة العامة والاحصاء المصری, در Information website: https://www.capmas.gov.eg
 
Political studies of Islamic world
Volume 9, Issue 1 - Serial Number 33
June 2020
Pages 77-100
Files
Share
How to cite
Statistics