The army's move also left the United States, which likes to hold high the banner of freedom and democracy, in confusion. The White House has so far made only vague statements calling on the army to move "quickly and responsibly" to return "full authority" to an elected civilian government.

In fact, the difficulty in judging Egypt's latest political development stems from observers' different views about the result, means and motivation. In the final analysis, this is the reality of a worldwide confusion over what kind of democracy developing countries in transition should embrace, and how to find a suitable way to realize that democracy.

With struggling economies, immature democratic cultures and the lack of any social consensus, the "Arab Spring" that led to the fall of strongman regimes resulted in power and even belief vacuums in some North African countries. While protesters succeeded in overthrowing the old regimes, they failed to unite and rally the strength to find a new path.

If the political change in Egypt brings democracy back on track, it will be a blessing for the Egyptian people. Adli Mansour, head of the Supreme Constitutional Court, who was sworn in as interim leader on Thursday, has offered an olive branch to the Muslim Brotherhood by saying that there will be "no exclusion of anyone" under his rule, and he wants them integrated into the nation. But supporters of the ousted ruling party are calling for new protests amid news of an anti-Islamist crackdown.

An election has been promised, although no date has yet been set, but who can guarantee the country will again embark on the democratic road?

The author is a senior fellow with the Chahar Institute and a researcher with the Institute of West Asian and African Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

(China Daily 07/08/2013 page8)