he merchant middle class is moderate to weak in comparison to the rest of the world (much of this is due to the UN-imposed economic sanctions which have been affecting the economy for over a decade). Moore would also look at the lower (peasant) class in Iraq. Because Iraq's peasant class is largely intact and illiterate with moderate revolutionary potential (though limited due to lack of wide-scale organization), Moore would argue that democracy would have a moderate potential for survival in Iraq. Democracy, though not the easiest solution to the Iraqi problem, should be the goal for Iraq's success as a nation.
             Imposing a democracy in an environment which may not necessarily be conducive to its presence can be quite a dangerous and difficult task. There are several reasons for this. First, if the institutions of the previous government were not set up to work in a democratic fashion many problems can arise. One cannot underestimate the desire for previous holders of power to keep old institutions alive and running, even if they are a threat to a new system which has been implanted. An example of this truth can be seen in Russia, where old communist institutions are having great difficulty adjusting to democracy and the free market. Secondly, if a democracy is to work it must have some level of support by its voting population. If the ideological framework of a country is hostile towards Western ideas freedom, the concept of a democracy may be quite difficult to impose. Despite such difficulties and obstacles, democracy can thrive in environments which may be initially hostile towards their existence. Patience must be exercised when recreating institutions. Also, it takes time to change the ideological framework of a culture. It can be done, but will require the commitment of foreign powers which has caused such systems to take flight in the past (For example, the US-led occupations of Japan and Germany. These were long-t...