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Rola Dashti, economist and recent Kuwaiti parliamentary candidate, discussed how the Kuwait Economic Society (KES) successfully built a grassroots constituency despite the fact that most liberal or democratic groups in the Arab world have failed to do so. Arab civil society organizations have “lost their path” by becoming “intellectual elite networks,” cutting them off from a disenfranchised majority of Arab citizens, who feel that neither Arab liberals nor Islamists represent them.
Reflecting on the reforms she spearheaded within her own organization, Dashti emphasized the need to replace old-guard board members in civil society organizations with young, ambitious leaders that can reach out to the people. Put simply, “You can’t build a constituency by giving speeches” in “a language people don’t know.” Civil society groups must have regular alternation in their leadership if they hope to improve Kuwaiti governance. Further, these groups must provide diverse communities with essential services –such as technology and business training– as well as opportunities to dialogue and interact with other citizens. Constituency-building is the first crucial step in a broader effort to make politics –both in Kuwait and the Arab world– more inclusive while making liberal political actors less marginalized.
During the subsequent question-answer period, participants raised questions about the KES’ relationship with the Kuwaiti government, the success of Islamist movements in Kuwait and elsewhere, and the KES’ approach to educating women. Dashti explained that the KES has good relations with both the ruling family and the parliament. These relations are bolstered by the organization’s willingness to offer advice and its organizational transparency. Dashti acknowledged that Islamists successfully built a grassroots constituency throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and stressed that it is now time for secular parties and groups to do the same. Finally, educating women is not a matter of expanding gender studies; more is accomplished by “treating them as citizens” and educating women about opportunities and use of modern tools, such as the internet.