Is it true that Iraq had a democracy for a brief time?

[_Jumper_]

If so, can someone provide some background on it. Thanks in advance.

[IndianaGreen]

1. CIA toppled the socialist government in 1963

and put the Baathist in charge who in turn, made the Communist Party illegal, and made business deals with the West.

On edit:

This is a story on a recent demonstration celebrating the 1958 coup that installed the republic.

Iraqis celebrate 1958 coup
Robert F. Worth NYT
Tuesday, July 15, 2003

BAGHDAD In its first official act on Sunday, the new Iraqi governing council abolished all the old state holidays.

But Monday, thousands of Iraqis took to the streets of Baghdad to joyfully flout that directive, in commemoration of the coup that ended the monarchy in 1958.

For most marchers, the occasion seemed less a rally than a raucous celebration of free speech itself. Members of the Iraqi Communist Party, banned for 35 years under the Ba'athists, marched in a throng down Sadoon Street, holding up broad red banners proclaiming their revival. Others chanted about the crimes of Saddam Hussein, or the need for an Iraqi constitution. A group of street cleaners from the Rissala neighborhood, on the east bank of the Tigris, held up shovels and bellowed. "Our party will not die, it will live on for eternity," went one Communist chant. "Let's go forward in peace," went another. Some marchers held up pictures of Abd al-Karim Qasim, who led the 1958 coup, or posters of the star-shaped symbol of pre-Ba'athist Iraq. A small group of Sunni tribesmen marched along with the crowd, intoning, somewhat incongruously, "There is no God but God, and America is the enemy of God."

http://www.iht.com/articles/102778.html

[_Jumper_]

2. How long did that democratic government last?

?

[IndianaGreen]

4. The coup that toppled the monarchy was in 1958

the CIA and the Brits freaked out because Prince Feisal was killed and they stood to lose control of the oil industry.

It was the CIA that brought Saddam's party, the Baathist, into power in 1963.

[Wonk]

5. A short history of Iraq

http://hnn.us/comments/9955.html

on edit: many more links and articles here as well: http://hnn.us/articles/1032.html

[liberalpragmatist]

3. It was a semi-democracy

Under the Hashemite Monarchy, it was a constitutional monarchy with a reasonably democratic system -- a semi democracy with mulitple politial parties, elections, a vigorous and free press, but the king and his ministers held more power than in most democratic systems and he was sort of a British stooge.

Check out this link from Foreign Affairs:
http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20030501faessay11218/adeed-i-dawisha-karen-dawisha/how-to-build-a-democratic-iraq.html

> Under the Hashemite monarchy, which ruled from 1921 until 1958, Iraq adopted a parliamentary system modeled on that of its colonial master, the United Kingdom. Political parties existed, even in the opposition, and dissent and disagreement were generally tolerated. Debates in parliament were often vigorous, and legislators were usually allowed to argue and vote against the government without fear of retribution. Although the palace and the cabinet set the agenda, parliament often managed to influence policy. And this pluralism extended to Iraq's press: prior to the 1958 revolution that toppled the monarchy, 23 independent newspapers were published in Baghdad, Mosul, and Basra alone.

Not that the Iraqi kingdom always refrained from electoral fraud, harassment of opponents, or abuse of emergency powers. The government also occasionally banned newspapers that dared to indulge in particularly virulent criticism of the regime (although the bans typically lasted for only short periods). To be sure, Iraq's history -- both under the monarchy and especially after the 1958 coup -- has been filled with plenty of authoritarianism, tribalism, and ethnic and sectarian violence. (end of excerpt)

[Malikshah]

9. To add to this

They played God save the King when they installed Faysal.

Faysal had been the chosen leader of an independent Arab state in Syria--only catch was that Syria had been given to the French as a mandate--Gen Gourard made short work of Faysal--he ended up in exile.

Thus, when the revolts in Iraq took place, the British public had had enough (right after WWI and all folks) and the Brits needed a solution quick. Thus-- Constitutional Monarchy...

Can we say replay of history in terms of themes here.

Other tidbit--

Yes it was a constitutional monarchy--but those who were in power were never "of the majority" it was not a representation of the Iraqi populace by any stretch of the imagination--of course what democracy is...


Great links-- Hanna Batatu has one of the best books out there on the subject--the hnn links are a great place to start

By the by: Iraq is just one of a number of creations in the region.

All the countries in the region barring Turkey and Iran were creations of others (check the borders--nature abhors a straight line)
Turkey had to fight a war of liberation led by Ataturk
Iran was taken over from the Qajars (a 19th century persian version of the current US regime replete with Haliburtonian concessions) by Reza Khan--later known as Reza Shah--father of Muhammad Reza Shah aka "the Shah of Iran" -- establishing the Pahlavi dynasty 1920's to 1970's--supported in large part by the US, which led to animosity of US by those in the 1970's revolution, taken over by Khomeini--which led to hostage crisis and anti-west rhetoric, which led to our support of Saddam when he invaded which led to Saddam getting away with murder until 1990...sorry--got off on a rant there.

Sorry for the dizzy post...

To sum up-- we are still dealing with the legacy of "nation-building" by outsiders from the early 20th century...

[_Jumper_]

6. Thanks for the links

I really appreciate it.

[VermontDem2004]

7. Yes

I believe the first time Saddam got "elected", Saddam was actually elected by the people. In fact Iraq does have a democracy, just no body ran against Saddam in previous elections.

[IndianaGreen]

8. This predates the rise of Saddam by a few decades

You need to read the material on Iraq first!