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8 Vol.1, Issue 22, August 2020 ELITE

ESCAPE TO THE BACK.

that may reach civil war or worse, such as
Political science scholars know many of the
genocide, as happened in Rwanda.
features of open & closed society, and in a
Political and social polarization is now a
simple way, it can be said that the open
global phenomenon that occurs at the heart of
society is closer in meaning to the following
the most important democracies in the world,
two statements while closed society is the
and thanks to modern communication, closed
opposite."My opinion is right could be
societies are no longer distant from this
wrong, and someone else is wrong could be
phenomenon, they exercise it, but in a tragic
ﺔـﺑﺮُـﻏ where the loss of
right"… Imam Al-Shafi’i, and the Austrian way.
philosopher “Karl Popper” mentioned a
MAHMOUD Although democratic societies are again
book
meaning
Society”
“Open
in
similar
his
situation
suffering
from
this
ABDELAZIZ in 1945 (I may be wrong and you may be confidence in official institutions and the
right, and by making effort we may come division of individuals between each other on
closer From the truth). the basis of identity and class, the existence of
FEPS The two sayings have almost one meaning, constitutional and legal frameworks in which
POLITICAL which is no one possesses the ultimate truth, this controversy can be vented still provides
the opportunity to finally reach New
SCIENCE it is not paradoxical that the circumstance in agreement on the disputed issues.
a
and
possesses
side
every
it,
and
opinion
of
TEACHING which Popper produced his saying when the The problem then is in closed societies where
the legal frameworks through which different
ASSISTANT interests can be expressed are absent, in
War
cold
war
a
ended,
and
World
Second
looming between two major ideological
addition to the fact that polarization focuses
rivals.
on issues related to religion, identity and class
European societies (specifically Western) had
status, more than its focus on the living
settled to end the state of polarization within
situation and developments of the economic
their societies in order not to repeat the
or political matters, which directly affects
experience of a devastating war, and then
peoples life. Hence, this case can be described
decided to adopt the path of compromise as it
as these societies escape to the back, as they
succeeded in achieving stability and
are unable to crystallize their economic, social
prosperity over seven decades punctuated by
and political interests while expressing their
many obstacles.
anger at the deterioration of their livelihoods
When a group of individuals differs regarding through indulging in discussing secondary
a particular issue, they have to sit for issues mostly producing more polarization,
and then violence.
discussion and negotiation, either they reach
The other problem is that closed societies
a common formula, implementing the rule of
come later than open societies in terms of
"win win situation", or each party insists on
practicing democracy or experimenting the
its position under the slogan of everything or
state of reaching consensus, while
nothing at all, as (zero sum game) is
communication technology provided these
achieved, then everyone is a loser. Because
societies with an opportunity for the first time
societies are too big to sit at the same table to
to discover their self and the contradictions
negotiate their issues, Democracy has created
within it, but these societies remains unable to
tools to shape this dispute within institutional
transfer these contradictions from the virtual
frameworks which are parliaments so that a
space To the real space. What is important is
debate can be managed between the forces
that when these contradictions move into real
representing the society, then to reach an
space, they must find the appropriate way to
agreement that takes into account balance and
be represented with a common formula for
representation of all groups interests.And
coexistence, otherwise violence is the sure
when harmony is achieved, society achieves
alternative for any society that is unable to
stability that helps in providing and manage differences and diversity within it.
accumulate efforts for development. If the Perhaps global and regional developments do
not give a suitable opportunity for these
opposite happens, the state of polarization
societies to hold on a degree of optimism, but
will go beyond the limits of verbal violence
as Popper said (our duty to remain optimistic).
to the practice of a broader state of violence
Vol.1, Issue 22, August 2020