# Islam and Democracy



## Scott (May 18, 2006)

The Bernard Lewis book I mentioned in an earlier post said that the more radical muslims operate with the political principle of "one man, one vote, one time." The "one time" means that people should use the machinery of democracy to get into power and then dismantle that machinery (so no more voting).

Lewis observed that this places those who support democracy at a big disadvantage in countries with a high percent of people who have the above view. The democrats' principles require free election, even if it means that those who oppose democracy win. But the opponents of democracy have no such commitment and can use democratic machinery to undermine democracy. 

This is relevant to Iraq. It could be that Bush's "freedom is on the march" may be a one-time freedom.


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