In our overview of the International history of the Middle East, we mentioned the key political movements in the region. Some of these movements were extra-national, some national. We now discuss the regional implications of each of these movements in greater detail. The movements we discuss are:
Nationalist Movements: Arab conservatism and statist movements Zionism Turkish Nationalism Internatioalist Movements: Pan Arabism Arab Socialism Ba athism Islamic Fundamentalism Arab Liberalism?
Conservative Nationalism Tied with traditional and largely religious monarchies. Succession is inherited. The king (Sultan) is a messenger of God, and is anointed by the church (Islamic leadership). The king personifies the state: L état c est moi. Aristocracy: family, military, religious, not necessarily economic. Family ties across national boundaries, usually do not prevent war among relatives. However, a common concern about threats to the monarchic structure of a system emanating from both republican nationalism and supernationalist movements
Usually takes on one of four basic forms: Democratic Nationalism: Authoritarian (civilian) Nationalism Authoritarian (military) Nationalism Personalist Nationalism
Principle of self-determination is personified in the nation, not a person or a small group of aristocrats. Nationalism includes commitment to a democratic form of government: loyalty is to a system of government, not to a specific government Basic principles and commitments are preserved across governments Mobilization of individuals for national projects (e.g., alignments, wars) require broad consent with policy goals
Typically relies on an ideology. This ideology can be either a national identity kind of ideology or an international ideology (communism). Loyalty is to the ideology; the government personifies the ideology. Typically ruled by a group (party) representing this ideology. Relies on the military and on secret police for protection of the regime, but leadership is civilian Succession within group forming the leadership
The major ideology of the regime is efficiency. Does not necessarily arise in high-threat situations with respect to national security Regime relies exclusively on military, some coalition possible with economic interests Typically ruled by a group (military junta) or by a leader who rises to the post from a military career Succession determined by military elite Aristocracy and stature defined by rank
Centered around a charismatic leader or around an ideology that personifies the state around the notion of leadership (e.g., Nazism, Fascism, Peronism) Leader can be military or civilian Like in monarchies, loyalty is to the leader. Status is defined by loyalty to leader. Possible to have a major party bureaucracy, or just a close circle of loyal advisers Military not necessarily a major basis of support, but rather a secret police loyal to leader
Goals can be realized only through transcendence across national boundaries, or via elimination of national boundaries. Goals override principal national characteristics (ethnic identity, race, language, common history, geography, religion, etc.) Collective identity defined by an overarching principle, that differs from one type of movement to another
There are two varieties of Internationalism: Secular internationalism Religious internationalism
Most important example: Marxism and communism Organizing international principles: class struggle, solidarity of the proletariat. Liberal integration (e.g., European Community), representing a functional approach to international relations that seeks to replace nationalism by globalist forces Organizing Principle: functional interdependence across issue-areas (e.g., economics, security, culture, etc.)
Organized around a religious concept that requires religious control of government. Requires either unified religious control of several countries, or solidarity among all countries run by religious elites (from the same religion, of course).
In order to understand international politics in the Middle East, it is important to explain several issues about political movements in the region: When, how, and why certain movements have arisen? In relation to what forces did certain movements arise? What clashes and contradictions exist among different movements? Which movements made it? Which had failed, and why?
Political Movements in the Middle East Years Movement Type of Movement Clash/Opposed to which movement Outcome Pre- 1914 No effective movement Ottoman Empire (conservative) Other imperialist forces Decline and failure 1915-1922 Hashemite + Parsian nationalism Conservative nationalism Ottoman empire, British and French Partial success (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Iran, 1915-78), Failure (Iraq, Yemen) 1915- present Zionism Democratic nationalism Arab nationalism, pan Arabism, Islamic Fundamentalism Success 1920- present Turkish Nationalism Authoritarian+ democratic nationalism Conservative Nationalism (Ottoman Empire) Success 1936- present Arab nationalism Authoritarian natinonlaism Conservative nationalism, Imperialism, Zionism Partial Success (Egypt, Algeria, Iraq 1958-2003, Libya, Tunisia), Failure (Palestinians, Iraq, 1945- present Pan Arabism Secular internationalism Conservative nationalism, authoritarian nationalism, Zionism Failure 1946- present Lebanese nationalism Democratic nationalism Imperialism Partial Success (1946-74, 98-) 1979- present Islamic Fundamentalism Religious internationalism Authoritarian nationalism, Zionism, Conservative Nationalism Partial success (Iran), Failure (Algeria, Egypt, Syria, Afghanistan, Sudan)