Book of the Day: Islam and Democracy: Fear of the Modern World, by Fatima Mernissi.

Although democracy has taken hold in the West as a dominant form of government, the same has not happened in Muslim nations in the Middle East. Why is that? Is there something inherent in Islam which prevents democratic development? Is there something peculiar about their political and economic situations which inhibit democracy? Or is it due solely to the reactionary efforts of the current ruling powers?