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Conclusion
Islamism,
at a basic level, is a reaction to the anxieties of modernity. Many
analysts attribute the success of Islamism to the failure of secular
ideologies. This, however, is only partially accurate, for it
downplays the fact that many Muslims consider their religion to be
an all encompassing one; and its application is subject to reform
and renewal. As such, it can compete, both in theory and in
practice, with secularism. The internal decay of most Muslim states
marked by rigid authoritarianism, widespread corruption, ineffective
armies, mismanaged economies, and dependence on foreign powers, has
led to a search for improved standards of living. The debate and
primary focus of Islamist activity is very much inward looking and
not directed at the West. "What appears in the West to be the
emergence, return to, or resurgence of Islam," writes Edward
Said, "is in fact a struggle in Islamic societies over the
definition of Islam."(47)
Nevertheless,
recent experiments with Islamic governments in Iran and Sudan raise
serious questions as to whether, once in power, Islamists will
tolerate diversity, protect minority rights and govern
democratically. That there are Islamists who eschew such principles,
subscribe to neo-fascistic world views, and engage in terrorism, is
a truism. To assume a priori, however, that all Islamists are
generically predisposed to such behavior is an egregious error in
judgment. We, in the West, did not instantaneously formulate our
concept of social and political democracy. It took painful years of
evolution. The Muslim world is passing through a similar
transformation. Richard Bulliet observes:
Notions
like human rights, equality, and civil liberties did not come from
documents. They came from struggles…. Struggles cannot be fought
from the outside; they must occur internally. What struggles will
take place within the community of Muslims I would not hazard to
say. Nor would I venture an opinion as to whether the Muslims of the
twenty-first century will follow the direction of the West in their
controversies over political and social norms, or whether they will
find unique solutions to unavoidable contradictions. Either way,
conflict, diversity, and evolutionary change seem inevitable despite
the powerful appeal of a traditional core of norms and values.(48)
The
status of Islamists as a threat, therefore, stems from the struggle
to control resources in the Middle East. In Shireen Hunter's words,
the "literal 'fundamentalism' or orthodoxy in matters of
faith" is not the problem. "It is the fundamentalists'
determination to eliminate the present ruling elites of the Muslim
world that makes [the trend] a threat to Western interests."(49)
If
events in Algeria since the canceling of the democratic process in
1992 have confirmed anything, it is the truism of Oliver Tambo's
famous adage that "when peaceful revolution becomes impossible,
violent revolution becomes inevitable."
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