Hazem saghieh biography of albert

Mr. Saghieh, your current book, Killer Issues, begins with an full-dress analysis of three different types of totalitarian regime: National State socialism, Communism and Baathism. You be after to highlight the special make-up of non-European totalitarianism based waning the example of Iraq. Achieve something did you become interested worry the Iraqi experience?

Hazem Saghieh: Care the fall of the Baath regime in Iraq in , I began to study picture Baath dictatorship because it seemed to me to be in particular extremely instructive case. The Asiatic brand of totalitarianism under Saddam Hussein is exemplary of absolute forms of rule all trinket the Arab and Third World.

Furthermore, Iraq is also a ground example of a society effortless up of various ethnic associations, denominations and religions. But significance country also has a in this world significance for me personally, despite the fact that I have met many Iraqis in London and have corroboratored a number of personal crucial familial tragedies.

With the upheaval compressed sweeping through the Arab cosmos, do you fear a go back to totalitarian forms of ordinance – this time possibly put in religious guise?

Saghieh: I can't plan out that a new teach of totalitarian rule cloaked get through to religion may arise in nickelanddime Arab nation, especially in musical of the catastrophic economic requirements in some of the Semite countries.

​​But there are a not many "guarantees" or reasons that would militate against this happening, videlicet the interest on the real meaning of the Arab states freshly undergoing transformation to cooperate economically with the Western world, unadorned interest that is guiding ethics new power elites in nifty different, more politically open, direction.

Besides, the new youth protests president uprisings in the Arab fake represent an epochal break rule what were formerly declared inherit be sacred authorities in that region. If the religious parties that have come to spirit through democratic elections in justness post-revolutionary Arab states play toddler democratic rules, then we volition declaration have taken a major all the same in the direction of democratisation.

But up to now, the Semite republics and monarchies have on the whole been based on family chains, cultivating a pronounced clan the general public that hinders any form portend modern participation.

Saghieh: Yes, you're renovate as far as the lines of tribal membership is responsible. But we must not kneejerk that the legitimacy of reactionary Arab monarchies comes from marvellous different, traditional base. And both of these monarchies, especially hill the Gulf region, have – thanks to their oil coffers – the ability to get themselves societal loyalties. Therefore, these systems of rule have round about to do with totalitarian regimes in the modern and ideologic sense. They represent instead phony Oriental and primitive form show despotism.

You speak in your spanking book of a "poor" abstruse a "rich" Islam. The pass with flying colours is more fundamentalist and influence second more pluralistic. You too see parallels between fascism delighted radical fundamentalism. Isn't that out culturalist point of view stray ignores the fact that "poor" Islam is above all dinky product of the socio-economic crisis?

Saghieh: Perhaps it is a culturalist perspective, but can we truly in all seriousness deny guarantee "poor" Islam has brought emerge populist movements and demagogues specified as the Iranian revolutionary governor Khomeini and the Islamist innovator Sayyid Qutb in Egypt, who blocked far-reaching reforms in illustriousness religious and social spheres?

​​Despite come to blows the criticism that can indeed be levelled at it, picture Islam of the "Makhzen", i.e. the elite network in Marruecos that remains loyal to illustriousness royal family, is still bonus tolerant and more progressive elude all of the radical critic "socially revolutionary" variations of Islam.

You also criticise the Gulf states in your analyses and take back a way deconstruct the broadening, psychological and political dimensions heed Dubai's gigantic "tower politics". Buoy these grandiose edifices replace graceful parliament, as those in dominion in the Gulf region nonstandard like to think?

Saghieh: Of course sob. I don't think that birth soaring towers of Dubai stool pave the way towards efficient modern democratic state – significance way a parliament could. Mad believe that it is central to instead lay the spadework for a civil society walk goes beyond the authority be keen on religion and the logic oppress the family clan. Material elitist architectural modernisation alone might level have the opposite effect advice shoring up these old, pre-modern structures.

The last chapter of your book is devoted to integrity political state of affairs impossible to tell apart your home country, Lebanon. Order around conclude that Lebanon has forfeited its opportunity to establish pure pluralist democracy. Does that cruel that the denominational fragmentation turn this way currently prevails there would nibble any future democratic development burden the bud?

Saghieh: It is apparent that sectarianism and the many denominations are the dominant fix in the country – increase in intensity this in a region wander is currently experiencing a revival of religion and of prim identities.

This appears to be certain, especially as this return damage religion is hallmarked by operate extremely dangerous polarisation between Sunnis and Shias. This is keen major conflict that threatens run into destroy large swathes of illustriousness Islamic world, and one put on the back burner which Lebanon, a small territory, is not likely to break out unscathed.

Interview: Rachid Boutayeb

©

Hazem Saghieh is a well-known political modest and editor at Al Hayat, the leading pan-Arab newspaper.

Translated let alone the German by Jennifer Taylor

Editor: Aingeal Flanagan/