Rebooting the Egyptian Revolution

Morsi betrayed the revolution, betrayed the people of Tahrir Square.

He changed the Constitution, gave himself sweeping executive powers, handed out jobs to his cronies, marginalised women, creeping Islamisation.

Bread, freedom, social justice. These were the minimum demands.

With the toppling of Morsi by People Power (with the help of a military coup) the Muslim Brotherhood are finished.

Applying coverage by the BBC. Not of what was happening on the street, the implied criticism, this is an affront to democracy. Implied the Western model of corrupt, unaccountable elites, alternating Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee is somehow superior.

What is democracy? 20 million people on the street calling for Morsi to go.

Democracy is not being asked once every few years (if your are lucky) to tick a box on a ballot paper, when at best what you want is a box that says: None of the Above.

Democracy is not a choice between Tories in the pocket of Big Business, LibDems who will do anything to stay in power, and Tory-Lite (otherwise known as Labour).

The closest we have to democracy is the Athenian model, direct participation by the people, open government, transparency.

The Prime Minister of Turkey should be worried.

• Special Report: Mursi’s downfall

Tags: Egypt, Tahrir Square