Figure 1.-- |
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Most Arab countries achieved independence in era after World War II. Arabia achieved independence after World War I, but most Arab countries became independent after World War II. Algeria was a rare excption to a generally peaceful decolonization. Until independence, the Arabs could blame their backwardness in their colonial masters, although the Europeans introduced most of the modern infrastructure that had been sorely lacking during the Ottoman era. Unfortunately, few Arab countries have made much success at building modern states or economies. The Arabs unless they have oil to exploit have lnguished in poverty. The Arabs tend to blame the West or of course the perenial scape goa--the Jews. Rarely do they look realistically at their own scocities. This is not uncommon in any scociety, but especially in the Arab world where critics face arrest by autocrats or theocrats or attack by religious fanatics. The Arabs have undergone similar ideological waves, although the imporance of the different threds have varied over time and from country to country. After World War II. The different threds have included Arab socialism, fundamentalist monarchies, Arab socialism, military rule and autocracy, and now the Arab Spring. What the Arabs have not yet tried is tolerant open societies with democracy and free market capitalism. The Islamicists say that the eakness and poverty of the Arab world (unless oil is present) is because the Arab Socialists and autocrats foresake Islam. More moderate voices, often unwilling to speak openly, believe that is the austere versions of Islam prevalent in the Arab world that they have kept the Arabs backward and limited crearive thinking which is the hallmark of humanity.
Most Arab countries achieved independence in era after World War II. Arabia achieved independence after World War I, but most Arab countries became independent after World War II. Algeria was a rare excption to a generally peaceful decolonization. Until independence, the Arabs could blame their backwardness in their colonial masters, although the Europeans introduced most of the modern infrastructure that had been sorely lacking during the Ottoman era. Unfortunately, few Arab countries have made much success at building modern states or economies. The Arabs unless they have oil to exploit have lnguished in poverty. The Arabs tend to blame the West or of course the perenial scape goa--the Jews. Rarely do they look realistically at their own scocities. This is not uncommon in any scociety, but especially in the Arab world where critics face arrest by autocrats or theocrats or attack by religious fanatics.
The United Nations partitioned Palestine (1947). The British began withdrawing and Israel declared it indeendence (1948). The Palistinians Arbs escalated attacks against Jews and the Arab Front Line states invaded. The result shocked the world. The Arabs for centuries looked down on the Jews considering bebeath contempt. Yet the Isreali militia with make-shift weapory were able to defeat well-armed Arab armies. This was all the more starekung as the British had precented the Jews from obtaining heavy weapons. It was ine thing to bec dfetd by major wirkd powers with huge fleers abd a vst aray of weapons, but to be defeated by a peole whom they considered unworthy ws a huge embaraasment. The conflict with Israekl has since dominted the Middke East. Husrorianns argue on the omact of this conflict. It has affected a tiny slice of the Arab work, yet Arab countries have devoted huge sums to fighting the Isrealis. utocrats anf Theicrats havecused the Isrealis as an excuse for everything tht goes wrong in their countrie. Ironically, untol the mericn invasion of Iraq and the Arab Sorinh. Isreali Arabs were some of thr few Arabs with the ability to vote and guarnteed civil rights. They are also some of the few Muslims who do not face sectarian attacks. And exceot exceot for the oil countries they have the highest standard of living in the Arab world.
The Arabs have undergone similar ideological waves, although the imporance of the different threds have varied over time and from country to country. After World War II. The different threds have included Arab socialism, fundamentalist monarchies, military rule, and autocracy, and now the Arab Spring. What the Arabs have not yet tried is tolerant open societies with democracy and free market capitalism. The Islamicists say that the eakness and poverty of the Arab world (unless oil is present) is because the Arab Socialists and autocrats foresake Islam. More moderate voices, often unwilling to speak openly, believe that is the austere versions of Islam prevalent in the Arab world that they have kept the Arabs backward and limited crearive thinking which is the hallmark of humanity.
One insughtful academic writes, "My generation of Arabs, who came to politics anid the high hopes of scukar nationlism in the 1950s and '60s, had no use for religious politucs. We didn't know these nen, let alone the women in oddly stylish head scarves. For a fleeting moment, in the aftermathof the Egyptian revolution led by Col. Gamal bdul Nsser in Juky 1952, the Britherhood was confidentthatvit woukd partake of the New Order. It had infiltrated the offucer coros, and the men in uniform, they thought, would be their instrun=ment in brinong about the 'reign of virtue'." [Ajami]
The Islamists in Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia did not launch the Arab Spring, but they appear to be its primary bebeficiaries. [Ajami]
Ajami, Fouad. "Islam, dmocracy and the long viewcof history," The Wall Street Joy=urnal (August 1, 2012), p. A13.
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