Those same populist Assemblymen were doing these pork barrel maneuvers or simply attempting to humiliate members and friends of the royal family, i.e. who served in the Emirs cabinet, rather than taking on issues like (1) improving education,(2) increasing government spending transparency, and (3) creating a much better health care standard in this extremely wealthy oil state.

PROBLEM IS the UNWILLINGNESS TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM

The problem is not democracy.

In Kuwait, the problem is a fear of changing the status quo in politics by calling for a new constitutional convention or even by calling for a new social contract.

On the other hand, America (where I come from) is also a land which in general is afraid of rewriting its constitution or nervous about the thought of calling out for democratic reform and advances through new constitutional conventions.

Therefore, while there is much to criticize in the functioning of Kuwait's democracy today, it certainly does have the potential to improve itself.

However, risk aversion-fear of change-is the real malaise in a country where connections are everything. That is, many Kuwaitis say, "The ministers and those who work in the ministry's currently are our relatives."

Or, if they are outsiders, they say, "Perhaps we can join another tribe, and get more quid-pro-quo jobs for our families with the next National Assembly."

In short, it is the short-term thinking of the current political-social and economic culture that is bad for Kuwait.

Similarly, short-term thinking and planning are hurting America and its obvious need for reform in 2008 as well.

NOTES

Worth, Robert F., "Democracy Becomes the Fall Guy in Kuwait", International Herald Tribune (May 6, 2008), pp.1, 4.

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