disagreement between those who say
that India might have self-government immediately and those who say that
India can only become capable of self-government with time. For the
former, by 'self-government', mean autonomy, and it is perfectly true
that India might be made autonomous immediately. If the foreign control
were withdrawn to-day, some sort of indigenous government or group of
governments would, no doubt, after a period of confusion, come into
being in India. But it would not be democratic government; it would be
the despotic rule of the stronger or more cunning."[127]

The citations just quoted portray the standpoint of those critics, both
Western and Oriental, who maintain that the peoples of the Near and
Middle East are incapable of self-government in our sense, at least
to-day or in the immediate future. Let us now examine the views of those
who hold a more optimistic attitude. Some observers stress strongly
Islam's liberal tendencies as a foundation on which to erect political
structures in the modern sense. Vambery says, "Islam is still the most
democratic religion in the world, a religion favouring both liberty and
equality. If there ever was a constitutional government, it was that of
the first Caliphs."[128] A close English student of the Near East
declares: "Tribal Arabia has the only true form of democratic government,
and the Arab tribesman goes armed to make sure that it continues
democratic--as many a would-be despot knows to his cost."[129]
Regarding the Young-Turk revolution of 1908, Professor Lybyer remarks:
"Turkey was not so unprepared for parliamentary institutions as might at
first sight appear. There lay hidden some precedent, much preparation,
and a strong desire, for parliamentary government. Both the religious
and the secular institutions of Turkey involve precedents for a
parliament. Mohammed himself conferred with the wisest of his
companions. The Ulema[130] have taken counsel together up to the present
time. The Sacred Law (Sheriat) is fundamentally democratic and opposed
in essence to absolutism. The habit of regarding it as fundamental law
enables even the most ignorant of Mohammedans to grasp the idea of a
Constitution." He points out that the early sultans had their "Divan,"
or assemblage of high officials, meeting regularly to give the sultan
information and advice, while more recently there have been a Council of
State and a Council of Ministers. Also, there were the parliaments