THE MIDDLE EAST IN TRANSITION

Pan-Arabism Pan-Arabism is a movement that sought to unite all Arabs based on a common language and culture and create a unified Arab State -The Arab League was formed to promote Arab unity  By 1950, most Middle Eastern Nations had won independence  Obstacles to Pan-Arabism  State nationalism  States pursued own goals  Lands included many ethnicities and religious groups opposed to Arab State  No geographic unity  Economic gap between rich and poor  Rivalries between nations

Forms of Government  Most are republics, even though Egypt, Iraq and Iran started out as monarchies  Turkey and Israel hold free elections & citizens have more freedom in their multi-party states  Absolute monarchies give all the power to the king while constitutional monarchies allow the king to have much of the power but also have an elected Parliament that has power as well (think Great Britain)  Iraq (under Hussein) and Syria have dictators

Islamic Law and Government In the past, Islam was both a religion and basis of government  Shariah law is the sacred law of Islam, highest authority is the Koran which sets rules for political, social and economic behavior to govern all aspects of Muslim life  Found in Saudi Arabia and Iran

Islamic Fundamentalism  Reacting against Western culture, secular government and new freedom for women  4 Main Demands  Return to values of Koran  Governments use Shariah as basis of law  Restore authority to religious leaders  Men and women separated in public and enforced by government