POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS THEMES

Political and Religious Themes

Political and Religious Themes

Authoritarianism was not only perpetuated by the Western colonization of the states but the actual formation of boundaries between nations that had once been part of a bigger whole. Something that was unseen in the Ottoman Empire began to emerge as a great threat to the stability of the region. Border disputes, especially when natural resources were in question, became commonplace. There was little national identity as people had not been born into these nations but rather forced into them; many chose to identify themselves along ascriptive and familial ties (further binding them to their repressive authoritarian governments) (Goodwin 2008 458-721). Although throughout the Iran/Iraq war neither side allied with the opposition (regardless of ethnic or religious similarities) after the completion of Desert Storm both the Iraqi Shi'ites and the Kurds attempted a revolt against Saddam Hussein; clearly obliterating any denial of sectarian or blood ties (Waterbury 343). The lack of personal identification with the state brought about insecure regimes which could only hold power by repression.

One of the greatest reasons that state owned enterprise is a causation of perpetuation of authoritarian rule in the Middle East is because the state government does not rely upon taxation for revenue. The population does not have power over the government (normally citizens pay the government to govern them through taxes) since taxes are not utilized citizens demand less especially if the subsidies continue to flow; the fact that the government is indifferent as to the plight of the commoner because he is dispensable is also a great perpetuation of oppression (Beblawi 53). Since most of the private sector has been expunged from the Arab economic world it does not encourage economic growth or political participation to protect one's own rights. Economic development truly suffers because the state has no need to develop a strong international-trade economy it need only rely on external rents for its revenue.

The promptness of oil-related revenues and the need to constantly allocate war-fare budgets have severely harmed the future of Middle-Eastern oil producing nations. The promptness with which money is provided in exchange for oil only accelerates its expenditure. Although this money is not being invested in anything that will benefit the population long-term, since there are no immediate economic crises at hand reform is held off longer. Authoritarian rule predominates and the longer it controls the people, the harder that reform will eventually be (Cortright 2002 10).

The people of the Arab world were willing to try anything after being subjected to external state formation and colonization by the West. All they wanted was freedom and they were willing to give anything to achieve that. They didn't realize that in wanting freedom from the West more than anything they were leaving themselves undefended against the military governments that came into place. What they found was tyranny, censorship, capricious enforcement of laws, and politically motivated restrictions. They complied with all the cruelties of their government in the name of national security; ...