Habib Bourguiba modern Tunisia. Bourguiba, who advocated for independence insisting on the maturity of the Tunisian people, ended up judging that his country was not prepared for democracy and political pluralism and even proclaimed himself president for life. As for him, "the people were not yet mature enough for democracy" which was evaded in the name of the unity his project was involving. Consequently, once the bases of a modern state were built, Bourguiba chose gradually a "paternalistic authoritarian" regime. This culminated in the SPD being formally declared the only legally permitted party in 1963. Consequently, political democracy in the Western sense
Habib Bourguiba a decree-law bill about the generalization of the cooperative system in agriculture. But Bourguiba, advised by his minister not to sign the bill, refused to do so. The next day, he announced: On 8 September, a statement announcing the sacking of Ben Salah was made public by the presidency. On 8 June 1970, Bourguiba told the Tunisian people about the failure of this experiment saying: On 16 August, making a speech in Monastir, he denounced a "a vast conspiracy which aimed to establish fascism by revolutionary means". Bourguiba henceforth, urged the adoption of reforms aiming to restructure both the State