March 2, 2008

Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy, and the West was one of the most anticipated book releases in 2008 for Pakistan. The events of December 27, 2007 not only changed to a large extent the political landscape of the nation, but also increased the amount of anticipation surrounding this book, which was anticipated to be Benazir Bhutto’s manifesto for her foreign policy, were she to win the 2008 general elections, and a third term in office. With her assassination, this volume has been widely anticipated as forming a focal point for her political and ideological legacy.

Reconciliation is a volume whose stated aim is to show that democracy and Islam are not antithetical to each other, and that the fact that many Islamic nations are nascent or struggling democracies has more to do with the historical baggage carried by these nations than with their state religion.

The book is laid out in six chapters, each of which details a separate part of Ms Bhutto’s arguments that democracy and Islam are not mutually exclusive and that some, if not most, of the blame for the collapse of democracy and the spread of extremism in Islamic states must be laid at the door of the Western states who have treated Islamic states as their personal spice racks, larders, petrol stations and cats paws.

The book presents powerful and well researched theological arguments for the symbiosis that should occur between Islam and democracy and for the assertion that extremism and terrorism are not only reprehensible but unIslamic. One chapter is devoted to case studies of different nations, mostly from the Islamic world, whose experiments with democracy were curtailed, constrained and corrupted when this democracy did not suit the needs of western powers. However, not all blame is left at the former colonial masters’ doorsteps. A need is recognised for Islamic nations to come together and try and solve their own problems.
 

Considerable space is also reserved in the book for detailing Ms Bhutto’s experiences in Pakistan and how they support her argument that dictatorships breed extremism, and that the western nations are responsible for the creation of the monster that they now find in their midst.
 

Considerable space is also reserved in the book for detailing Ms Bhutto’s experiences in Pakistan and how they support her argument that dictatorships breed extremism and that the western nations are responsible for the creation of the monster that they now find in their midst. The arguments that western civilisation and Islamic civilisation are doomed to clash, and that greater interaction between these civilisations will only result in greater friction, are also refuted at length, both using empirical evidence and a body of research, and the author’s own experiences. The final chapter then lays out a roadmap for the steps that both the Islamic and western communities can take to affect a meaningful and lasting reconciliation between the two civilisations.

The language of the book is simple, yet elegant. Ms Bhutto’s skill with words was clearly of the highest order. The arguments of the book are laid out in a way that clearly show that the primary audience of this volume was the international audience, as the author sought to once again take on a position on global statesmanship. The chapters are laid out well, and where there are extensive quotes from other sources, thought has clearly been given to their flow as well, making the volume an easy read. Some credit must be given here to the editor and collaborator Mark Seigel.

As is the case in nearly every volume ever written by a politician, there is a clear, and expected, rose tint at play in those parts of the book that relate to her own terms in office, and those of her father. This will come as a great pity to all but the most credulous, as Ms Bhutto’s own terms in office, and those of her father, are portrayed as golden ages in the Pakistani society, economy and democracy, with not even a whiff of scandal or malfeasance that was not a complete fabrication created by her opponents to discredit her. The fact that, particularly in terms of the economy, empirical data is often at odds with the statements made by her is a great pity, as open and frank admissions of idealism having been thwarted by ground realities may well have been much better.

She clearly saw herself in a dual role; that of a leader of the people and of the streets, and that of an international stateswoman with friends in high places who could help change the world. These roles are frequently at odds with each other, and the fact that this paradox has not been addressed is a great pity, for her jet-setting lifestyle and frequent exiles could not but distance her from the people who were her stated greatest strength. Her liberal upbringing and western education must have made the job of clearly understanding the needs of the people that much harder.
 

Mark Seigel must have been under great pressure to not change a single word of her writing, although some additional passages may have actually helped bring the arguments of the book home that much more.
 

The final chapter of the book is quite staccato, at odds with the flow of the rest of the volume. This is clearly an unfinished chapter, and another reminder that the author did not have the time to finish what was clearly an important work for her. Her collaborator on the book, Mark Seigel, must have been under great pressure to not change a single word of her writing, although some additional passages may have actually helped bring the arguments of the book home that much more. The book has also clearly been rushed into print, and it may be worth waiting for a second edition, when some of the small disconnects (endnotes not being references in the passages, a map of Pakistan showing Rawalpindi in the wrong place) have been fixed.

Reconciliation is a book of two halves. One half deals with the question of the compatibility of Islam and democracy and the role of both the western and Islamic communities in promoting democracy in Islamic nations to stem the flow of extremism in the Islamic world. This half of the book is powerful, logical and compelling. The other half of the book deals with Ms Bhutto’s personal experiences, and laced as it is with her emotions, it is necessarily not as balanced. Comparing the October attack on her motorcade with the attacks in the World Trade Centre and the Madrid bombings, and marking any lack of success for her governments as a direct result of the agencies’ interference in affairs of state shows that when things are close to you, perspective cannot always be expected. Contrast this with the passages when the western world is reminded of the problems they have with extremist elements within their own religious communities, from the Spanish Inquisition to the massacre at the Temple of Abraham and the bombings of women’s health centres in the United States.

The book poses a challenge to the world communities. The western world is challenged to stop treating developing nations as tools for their own purposes and to actively promote democracy there, even if this is, in the short term, against their immediate interests. At the same time, the Islamic world is challenged to stop placing the blame for their problems on the West, and to use the huge amounts of resources at their disposal to actively seek to improve their lot, and to leave aside regressive interpretations of the word of God and instead embrace the spirit of Islam, which is moderate, inclusive and peaceful.

At the same time, Reconciliation cannot but be seen as Benazir Bhutto’s legacy. With the success of the PPP in the 2008 general elections, the party now faces the heavy burden of implementing these ideologies, and it is going to be a great challenge to do this in the clear light of day. The PPP will have to work with parties and personalities labelled by Ms Bhutto in her book as ‘terrorists’, ‘ISI puppets’ and ‘extremists’ in order to govern this nation. But perhaps that is the true message of this book. That, for the good of the nation of Pakistan, personal differences need to be set aside and all parties need to come together and pull in the same direction, for that is the only way to face the challenges and opportunities facing Pakistan today, and to ensure that the next few years usher in an era of both lasting prosperity and democracy for this, our nation.
 

Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy, and the West
By Benazir Bhutto
Simon & Schuster. Available with Liberty Books, Karachi
ISBN 1-84737-273-4
328pp. Rs1,395