It is a very common but dangerous idea to say that islamism takes advantage of any progress of democracy and that, subsequently, democratic moves promote terrorism. A very good example was provided by a report, dated from Nouakchott (Mauritania), published in the French conservative daily Le Figaro (read the article here). Under the title ‘democratization of Mauritania helped islamic radicals’, the reporter explains that the country experienced a move to polical liberalization after the coup that ousted the (pro-western) dictator Maaouyya Ould Taya a couple of years ago. The writer then quotes an ‘intellectual’ saying : « That was a mistake because in this country with an oriental mentality and where the public strongly ask for despotism, that was a democratic concession that sounded like admitting weakness. »
No wonder that with such intellectuals (hopefully anonymous, the worst source ever in our job), Mauritania will not move very far towards democracy. This kind of report propagates the idea that a part of mankind cannot access to democracy, or should not. And if it does, it would become dangerous.
Should we explain again that dictatorship and denial of sovereignety are the main reasons for the development of violent action, such as terrorism.
But democracy is a principle that we tend to use only when it serves our interests…
