ARTICLE: "Between fitna, fawda and the deep blue sea: Why George Bush, touring the Middle East this week, is finding the Arabs in a gloomy mood," The Economist, 12 January 2008, p. 40.
The list includes the youth bulge, the failing schools and the "resilience of social traditions often ill-suited to the urban lifestyle that is now the Arab norm."
Plus the usual political grips of repression and the Arab-Israeli conflict, where no hope is expressed for current Bush efforts.
Plus no leaders of note, no vision and no sense of answer to the question of whether laws
"should emanate from the people or from God."
So people prefer the devils they know to the fitna (communal strife) or fawda (chaos) they fear more.
The resulting frustration is an underlying cause of troubles from youth delinquency to religious extremism. Paternalistic social norms hold women back, even though their legal status is improving.
Some hope in reforming Egypt, though. The gov there hopes enough years of 7% growth will make many of these problems disappear.
Good luck with that.
| Permalink |
Comments (1)
Two people that were able to forge 'rule sets' that met the cultural, value and vision strengths and weaknesses of nomadic heritage Arabian tribal peoples, and then move them towards unified successes were Lawrence of Arabia and Mohammed (of Arabia).
European powers dumped Lawrence's ideas and imposed artificial national entities that they could 'manage' to defend their interests.
Muhammad came from a highly regional connective merchant personal environment before his religious and social vision. It would be interesting to see what his visions for Arabian peoples would be today.
Note my focus is on peoples with an Arabian cultural heritage, not just Arabic speaking, or Islamic believing. Just because the majority of Arabian people are now living in cities and using core derived technologies does not mean they have had the cultural and personal experiences and insights that make them appreciate connectivity as 'outsiders' understand it.
Posted by Louis Heberlein | February 25, 2008 1:25 PM