Figure 1.-- |
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The most notable observation emerging from the Middle East is the lack of economic progress since World War II and the end of the colonial era. This failure is especially notable in the Arab world. In fact, with the exception of the oil producing countries, the Middle Eastern countries are almost uniformily poor and getting poor. And even in the oil producing countries there has been a general failure to build producive economies. These countries in several instances consume along Western patterns, but have not built industries capable of producing and marketing products in the international market. Given the extrodinary amount of available invest capital this is an extremely puzzeling observation. The question is why have Middle Eastern leaders so badly failed their populations since World War II. he League of Arab States as of 2006 had 22 members. The 22 Arab states are in many ways remarkable for their diversity in both ethnicity and political structures. The Arab states include traditional monarchies (Bahrain, Morocco, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates) and various states giverning through various levels of authoritarian rule, including some very repressive regimes. There are also many similarities. There are throughout the regions to varying degrees legal and social structures limit individual liberty. Limits are to varying degrees placed on free expression, democraic rule, reigious diversity, women's rights, education, the rule of law, and property rights and free enterprise. After World War II leaders like Nasser who attracted a large following persued Arab socialism believing that it was the colonial powers that impaired economic development. With the failure of Arab Socialism, some Arabs have turned to fundamentalist Whahbi-style Islam. No where in the Arab world does their seem to be a willingness to adopt the secular, liberal traditions of Europe that have brought such unprecedented prosperity.
The most notable observation emerging from the Middle East is the lack of economic progress since World War II and the end of the colonial era. This failure is especially notable in the Arab world. In fact, with the exception of the oil producing countries, the Middle Eastern countries are almost uniformily poor and getting poor. And even in the oil producing countries there has been a general failure to build producive economies. These countries in several instances consume along Western patterns, but have not built industries capable of producing and marketing products in the international market. Given the extrodunary amount of available invest capital this is an puzzeling observation. The question is why have Middle Eastern leaders so badly failed their populations since World War II.
The League of Arab States as of 2006 had 22 members. The countries streach from Morocco in the west all the way east to Iraq.
The 22 Arab states are in many ways remarkable for their diversity in etnicity and other factors.
The Arab states include traditional monarchies (Bahrain, Morocco, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates) and various states giverning through various levels of authoritarian rule, including some very repressive regimes.
There are also many similarities. The overiding similarity is the Islamic faith of the population. The Islamic dominat Islamic sect, however, varies from country to country as well as the toleration of other Islamic sccts and other religions. There are also many similarities. There are throughout the regions to varying degrees legal and social structures limit individual liberty and basic human rights. Limits are to varying degrees placed on free expression, democraic rule, reigious diversity, women's rights, education, the rule of law, and property rights and free enterprise. After World War II leaders like Nasser who attracted a large following persued Arab socialism believing that it was the colonial powers that impaired economic development. With the failure of Arab Socialism, some Arabs have turned to fundamentalist Whahbi-style Islam. No where in the Arab world does their seem to be a willingness to adopt the secular, liberal traditions of Europe that have brought such unprecedented prosperity.
There are few democratic states in the Arab world. The one democratic state is Lebanon and democracy there is currently under attack. Most of the other Arab regimes are authoitative states, and some (Algeria, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, and Tunisia) are pariculasrly repressive. A good idea of the situation can be seen by their map of freedom which shows a sea of purple (depicting "not free" countries) throughout the Niddle East and North Africa. A few countries (Morocco, Jordan, and Yemen) are in the "partly free category. [Freedom House] The United Nations Commission on Human Rifgts has also addressed this question, but U.N. materal has to be treated with caution. So nany U.N, nembers are countries with authoritarian givernments that the U.N. is under political pressure to temper its actions on this subject.
Productivity rates in Arab countries are increasingly negative. [World Bank; Arab Development Report)." As a result, throughout the Arab world thre are stagnat economies. Arab countries do not produce manufactured goods that can compete on the international market. Young people leaving schools and universities can not find jobs. Unemployment levels are very high. The result is that the average income in theAran world is about $5,000 annually.
Some Arab countries like Saudi Arabia have adequately funded a modern education system. Most Arab countries have not. There are high rates of illiteracy, especially among womem. The situation is even worse when assessing universities. There is not one internationally respected university within the Arab world. At Arab universities there is little real academic freedom. Not only do Governments restrict academic freedom, but professors who attempt to confront issues that may anger Islamicsts invite attack from the students. And there is no Arab universities that have made any substantial contribution to any major academic desiplines or adding substantially to the body of knowledge. There are virtually no scienntific papers of any importance published in the Arab world. Rather Arab Governments have erected a range of religious, social, legal, and cultural barriers to creation and diffusion of knowledge.
Many of the most educated people in the Arab world are fleeing their countries so they can persue their careers. One report indicates that between 1998 and 2000 more than 15,000 Arab physicians emigrated. A World Bank report estimates that "roughly 25 per cent of 300,000 first degree graduates from Arab universities emigrated. Roughly 23 per cent of Arab engineers, 50 per cent of Arab doctors and 15 per cent of Arab BSc holders had emigrated." The reason for this varies, but is most commonly the lack of any economic oportunity in their countries.
Most Arab countries have legal systems which establish a range of gender based differences. Almost uniformly these gender provisions restrict the rights of women in areas such as (marriage, divorce, clothing, civil rights, legal status and education). This varies substantially from country to country. Gender based differences were most pronounced in Taliban Afganistan, but are substantial in countries like Saudi Arabia, but exist to varying degrees in virtually all Arab countries.
The publication of books is very limited in Arab countries. This is especially the case of books not related to religious themes. This would be understandable in a small country in a languge spole by a limited population. But Arabic is one of the major world languages with more than 300 million speakers.Also a small number of non-Arabic books are translated into Arabic. This is particularly important because so few books of any importance are published by Aran scholars on any important discipline. Thus translations are especially needed in the Arab world. Amazingly Spain alone translates more books in a single year than the Arab world has in the past 1,000 years since the
Abbasid Caliphate rule of Caliph Mamoun (813-833).
Freedom House,Map of Freedom 2006. Since 1972, Freedom House has published Freedom in the World, an annual comparative assessment of the state of political rights and civil liberties in 192 countries and 14 related and disputed territories. Widely used by policy-makers, journalists, and scholars, the 700-page survey is the definitive report on freedom around the globe.
World Bank. "Arab Development Report".
A special report to the 59th session of the UN Commission on Human Rights.
Academic Ranking of World Universities - 2006.
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