Assuming Quote by Bernard Lewis
“The word "democracy" is a Western word obviously. It doesn't exist in Arabic. Democratiya is a loan word. We in the Western world make the great mistake of assuming that ours is the only form of good government; that democracy means what it means in the Anglo-American world and a few other places in the West, but not many others. Muslims have their own tradition on limited government. Now in Islam, there is a very strong political tradition. Because the different circumstances, Islam is political from the very beginning.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Arabs in History by Bernard Lewis, 1988
Western concepts of democracy are often projected onto non‑Western societies, overlooking indigenous political traditions.
In simple terms: Western democracy is not universal.
Key Takeaway
Recognize diverse governance traditions.
Themes
politics
culture
misunderstanding
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
informative
When to use this quote
- policy analysis
- intercultural dialogue
- education
- media reporting
- academic research
Key Concepts
political theory
colonial legacy
Islamic governance
Questions to Reflect On
- How do local political traditions differ from Western democracy?
- What risks arise from imposing external governance models?
A Different Perspective
Assuming Western models fit all contexts can marginalize local practices.
![“Different groups in the [Middle East] drew two lessons from [return of the shah in Iran] - one, that Americans were willing to use both force and intrigue to install or restore their puppet rulers in Middle Eastern countries; the other, that they were not reliable patrons when these puppets were…” quote by Bernard Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/89b/bernard-lewis-11653_middle-east_different-groups-in-the-middle-east-drew_37501.jpg)
