Any serious attempt to build a truly democratic project hinges on the necessity of adopting a rational intellectual framework and vision. This vision is the fundamental entry point for any democratic system. A democracy that lacks a clear intellectual foundation and does not aim for universal goals such as justice and equality remains incomplete and distorted, if not entirely illegitimate.
True democracy is not merely an electoral mechanism; it is a system based on thought and awareness, enabling it to achieve justice and equality in all spheres: political, legal, social, and economic. By achieving this justice for the people, balance is achieved for society as a whole, where narrow considerations such as sectarianism, tribalism, and clannism are eliminated, replaced by the standards of citizenship and shared human values. Thus, true democracy views the practical and intellectual aspects as two essential pillars in its evaluation.
The Historical Legacy and the Challenge of Democratic Practice
In many societies, democracy has not been a historical legacy or a firmly established tradition in the general culture. Rather, it often remained confined to individual mental stances, tied to specific personalities, and never rose to a state of self-sustaining institutional collective consciousness. This deficiency stems from a number of factors of backwardness that characterized the cultural environment, most notably the exclusion of the other simply because of differences in belief, opinion, or cultural background.
Therefore, any successful democratic project must work to overcome these problems by adopting fundamental pillars such as participation and fraternity among peoples, thus paving the way for building a new political culture.
Manifestations of Intellectual and Mental Distortion in Societies
The prevailing state of intellectual and mental distortion in many societies is manifested through the profound dysfunction in social relations at all levels. To understand this dysfunction, one need only look at the experiences of some countries described as democratic. Despite the multitude of competing ideologies and political parties presenting their programs, a vast gap exists between the principles these forces proclaim and what they actually practice in daily life and in practice.
This paradox underscores that the mere existence of formal democratic structures is insufficient; democracy must be a deeply ingrained culture, rooted in both mind and behavior.
Democracy as Culture and Behavior
The inevitable conclusion is that the true success of any democratic project hinges on its transformation into a prevailing culture. That is, democracy must become a way of life, inextricably linked to the mindset and daily conduct of individuals and societies. Only by disseminating and entrenching this culture can we guarantee genuine democratic practice that transcends mere formality and delves into substance, transforming noble values from slogans into a lived reality for the people.
Anas Qasim Al-Marfou’
Researcher and political writer
