雅思阅读精选：埃及公投背道而驰_雅思英语阅读

雅思阅读精选：埃及公投背道而驰

　　The opposition, for its part, should start relying more on negotiation and less on demonstration. Street protests were a force for good before democracy prevailedthey toppled Mr Mubarak, after allbut if they become a routine way to change the law and remove governments, then Egypt will never learn how to reconcile interests and settle disputes through everyday politics. The non-Islamist opposition, which is coming together for the first time in a broad front, should concentrate on preparing for the imminent general election. To compete with Islamists at a local level, they must start tackling the urgent bread-and-butter concerns of poor people.

　　The West has rightly stayed out of Egyptian politics. But, once written, a constitution is hard to change back, so outsiders should now voice their anxieties about the direction Mr Morsi is taking. Germanys government was right recently to postpone a dollop of aid until Mr Morsi shows a greater willingness to pass the test of real democracy. The Americans, who hand over $1.6 billion a year, should do the same.

　　At the start of the Arab spring, optimists hoped that liberal democracy would sweep the region and pessimists predicted that Islamists would grasp power and keep hold of it. Recent events have taken Egypt a step in the pessimists direction. But the old system failed, in the end, because oppressive governments that ignore their peoples views risk getting violently overthrown. It is not too late for Mr Morsi to show he has learned that lesson.