The Plagues of Egypt

by Dr. Mordechai Kedar
BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 131

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: In Egypt, there is almost no social contract to govern the conduct of its citizens – as there is in democratic societies. The norm, then, is to behave without inhibition, and violent confrontation is usually the standard response to conflict. With Mubarak out of the picture, and with the behavior of democratic society not yet learned, it seems likely that in the near term Egypt will be a society plagued by political intrigue and instability – providing alarming headlines almost daily. The governments of  the world must be alert and vigilant for developments that could threaten the Suez Canal, the peace with Israel and regional stability.  I was once told by an Egyptian friend – a wise diplomat who served at the Egyptian embassy in Israel for several years – that democracy is in fact a strict dictatorship, since each citizen is his own dictator. The citizen in a democracy imposes upon himself a strict etiquette: not to push; not to steal; not to harass women and girls; not to harm or insult others; to stop at a red light, even if it is three o'clock in the morning; not to cheat in business; to hold the door open for the person behind you; to stand in line; not to behave in a socially unacceptable manner; and other such dos and don'ts which the citizen in a democratic society feels obligated to abide by at every moment. He upholds these rules not out of fear of the regime (which is in no way intimidating), but out of self-discipline and conviction that only thus can a society run smoothly.  Thus, a democratic society is one that is based upon the self-restraint of its citizens, and this self-restraint allows society to live a life of freedom and comfort. In Israel, said my Egyptian friend, there exists an unwritten "contract" between all citizens, which sets the rules of conduct in all areas of life: in the street, on the road, in economics, in politics and in the family. Full Story>> 

The Palgues of Egypt www.biu.ac.il/SOC/besa/docs/perspectives131.pdf

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