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What Went Wrong? Bernard Lewis (Jan. 2002)

What Went Wrong? Bernard Lewis (Jan. 2002). Dr. Maggio GLS 220. What Happened to Muslim Civilization?. By Objective Measures Poorer Weaker More ignorant Even private lives were/are being invaded by the West. Rivals for over 100 yrs Caliphates, Empires, Kingdoms, Nation-states.

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What Went Wrong? Bernard Lewis (Jan. 2002)

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  1. What Went Wrong?Bernard Lewis (Jan. 2002) Dr. Maggio GLS 220

  2. What Happened to Muslim Civilization? • By Objective Measures • Poorer • Weaker • More ignorant • Even private lives were/are being invaded by the West

  3. Rivals for over 100 yrsCaliphates, Empires, Kingdoms, Nation-states • Islamic World • Middle East • North Africa • Southeast Asia (parts) • Africa (parts) • Christendom and the West • America • Europe • Russia • South America

  4. Modernization in the Muslim World – Military • Many Defeats • Lost Battles and Territories to Israel • Horn of Africa • Russia (except Afghanistan) • Internal repression by military • Not “Modern” relative to the West

  5. Modernization in the Muslim World – Economic • Development attempts end in poverty • Corrupt economies • Cronyism • Aristocracies • Some in recurring need of external aid • Massive dependence on single resource – oil • Major role of western eng’g/business in oil • World making attempts to reduce oil depd • Not “Modern” relative to the West

  6. Modernization in the Muslim World – Political • Tyrannies • “Shabby” • Traditional Autocracies • Dictatorships • Repression • Indoctrination • Not “Modern” relative to the West

  7. Lack of Freedom? • Lewis argues that this may be the result of a lack of freedom • Continuing imbalance between Islam and the West • Muslims feel poor and weak after centuries of being rich and strong • Role of followers of the West?

  8. Comparative Perspective • Not even first among followers …. • East Asia rapidly developing • Japan • South Korea • Hong Kong • Taiwan • Some only recently emerged from colonial rule!

  9. Take a measurement - Modern • Job creation • Literacy • Educational & scientific achievement • Political freedom • Respect for human rights • Once mighty civilization “fallen low”

  10. Who did this to us??? 1 • Mongols blamed • 13th Century Conquered: • Empire of the Caliphs • Persian Empire • Flaws in this argument • Timing of accomplishments • Prior weakness of the Caliphate

  11. Who did this to us??? 2 • Turks blame Arabs – “dead weight” of the past where Turks caught and immobilized (rightly) • Persians blame Arabs, Turks, Mongols (rightly) • Arabs blame the Turks, who ruled them for many centuries

  12. Who did this to us??? 3 • Western Imperialism – Empire? • Western economic penetration • Western political domination (colonization) • Western cultural influence • Very strong

  13. Who did this to us??? 4 • Role of the British and French very brief • Taken over by villain United States • But was it a consequence or a cause of inner weakness in Muslim society?

  14. Dominance ==> Weakness Weakness ==> Dominance

  15. Who did this to us??? 5 • Jews and Israel • Typical minority status in Muslim society • Initially Jews were better off under Muslim than Christian rule • Spread of Tolerance in the West • 17th and 18th centuries • Losses in WW II • Inability to stop 1948 estab of Israel • “Jew as a scheming evil monster”

  16. Anti-Semitism • Nazi Germany starting in 1933 promoted anti-Semitism in Middle East • Struggle for Palestine • Secret Jewish plots • Jews a convenient scapegoat

  17. Can we blame Islam? • No • If Islam is at fault, how could early development have been so strong? • Some will ask: • What have Muslims done to Islam?

  18. The hunt for solutions • Place of religion in modern political order • Socialism? • Failed • Nationalism? • Succeeded, but ineffective • Freedom?

  19. Other solution-questions • Have Muslims abandoned the divine heritage of Islam? • If so, return to the past • Real or imagined • Iranian Revolution • Fundamentalists, Taliban

  20. Turkish model? • Condemns the past • Advocates secular democracy • Kemal Atatürk founder • 1923 • Turkish Republic • Modern

  21. What question is appropriate? • Who did this to us? • What did we do wrong? • How do we put it right?

  22. Freedom • Of the mind from constraint and indoctrination • Of economy from corruption • Freedom of women • Of political system from dictators

  23. Suicide Bomber as Metaphor for Islam

  24. Downward Spiral • Hate and spite • Rage and self-pity • Poverty and oppression • Culminating in another alien domination • Need to abandon grievance and victimhood • Can be a major center of civilization

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