Democracy Within Autocracy - Pacific News Service

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Most people will agree that the most stable countries in the region are those on the southern shores of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman and furthermore that the most successful government in this particular region is the type that is exercised in the United Arab Emirates. It works because it understands the people and it works FOR the people and not the other way around.

Many Western critics argue that it the UAE has a great system of government but it is not a democracy. But why does it have to be? It is working because it fits. Democracy is not for everyone, everywhere at anytime. What is necessary is to understand the people that are to be governed and to support a system that works FOR those particular people according to their beliefs, culture and heritage.
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Within some of the Gulf countries an environment is created whereby under the umbrella of an autocratic and non democratic government, pockets of democracy in the form of corporations and small businesses are created. Within that small pocket, individuals learn to exercise democratic thinking and acting. The board room becomes a mini parliament with the directors as parliamentarians discussing every aspect of the company and taking action in a democratic way.
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There is an interesting and ironic common occurrence. Because of the nature of the Middle East, most of the local residents outside of the Gulf countries have, at one time during their lifetime, experienced violence on the streets or even outright war. The beauty of the Gulf phenomenon is that it has created an environment where it is not unusual for direct adversaries finding themselves as colleagues, classmates or even friends, unwittingly. In effect, all political differences are set aside and only personal achievement and success are promoted in a co-operative and democratic way under an autocratic umbrella.

The reverse is true in the case of other countries in the Middle East. Under the auspice of a so called “democratic” government, pockets of dictatorships are created. Because the people who are being governed and those who are governing “democratically” are not trained to operate a democratic environment the system corrupts and leads to pockets of small dictatorships visible within corporations, government departments and educational institutions.
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Emphasis added. There's a great deal of truth here. Something to ponder.