Algeria in Transition: The Islamic Threat and Government Debt

Abstract

Algeria's current political crisis serves as a reminder of the fragility of attempts to reform government in search of 'democracy.' Algeria experienced two rounds of multi-party elections in 1990 and 1991. Broad-based political participation may indicate 'last-track' democracy, but questions about the feasibility of political Islam clashes with traditional notions of democracy. This thesis will argue that Algeria's decision for a political opening was due to social pressures and exacerbated by economic difficulties posed by falling oil prices rather than motivated solely by political reform rationale. The events leading up to the riots and subsequent reforms will support this argument. Additionally, U.S. and regional policy implications will be examined. Algeria, Algerian elections, Political Islam, Arab democracy, Zeroual, Bendjidid, Boumedienne, U.S. foreign policy in North Africa

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1994
Accession Number
ADA282899

Entities

People

  • Janice M. Wynn

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Death
  • Department Of State
  • Economic Systems
  • Families (Human)
  • Foreign Policy
  • Governments
  • Law
  • Money
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • North Africa
  • Personnel Management
  • Political Science
  • Political Systems
  • Security
  • Terrorists
  • United States

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • Economics
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.