1. The Middle East in Transition Political Directions
Chapter 27
Section 1

2. Middle East: Political Directions
Students will create a political cartoon on one of the following political concepts/ideologies:
Pan-Arabism: may include obstacles
monarchy: absolute and constitutional
republics: single party vs. multiparty
shift from Islamic law to western-style secular laws
Islamists
Islamic Extremists
Arab Spring

3. Pan-Arabism
to unite all Arabs based on their common language and culture (1)
Goal: Felt that a unified Arab state would be a major world power & would be able to end European domination in the middle east (1a)
Arab League: main goal: Build relations and collaborate among Arab Nation
Support their interests

4. Obstacles of Pan-Arabism (1b)
National, ethnic & kinship ties proved to be stronger than the pan-Arabism movement
Religious Diversity
Arab lands had no geographic unity
Settlements were scattered across a wide area
Economic gaps between rich and poor nations
United Arab Republic (1958)

5. Generalization of ME Governments after Independence #2
Experimentation to find their individual identities
Built powerful central governments

6. Forms of Government (#3)
Most countries built strong central governments
Citizen participation varies
Monarchies:
absolute monarchies
constitutional monarchy
Republics
Multiparty Republics
Single Party Republics

7. Monarchy Saudi Arabia & Jordan are ruled by kings
Saudi Arabia is a monarchy that has absolute power
Constitutional Monarchy
Monarch Head of State
Has elected Parliament and Prime Minister
Jordan is a constitutional monarchy
They have an elected parliament but the king holds most of the power

8. Republics
Multiparty Republics: citizens are generally much more free to express their political opinion
Hold free elections
Examples: Turkey & Israel
Single Party Republics: strongman ruler
More like a dictatorship
Examples: Syria & formerly Iraq

9. Parliamentary System
Presidential System
Legislative Branch
Parliament elected by voters. The majority party in Parliament chooses the prime minister.
Congress elected by voters. Legislative and executive functions are separate.
Chief Executive (Government Head)
Prime minister who heads council of ministers, or "Cabinet"
President, elected by voters, nominates cabinet members.
Head of State
Often a constitutional monarch. Legislatures often choose a ceremonial president, who acts as head of state.
President is head of state.
Elections
Prime minister can call new elections.
Held at fixed intervals.
Political Parties
Often a multiparty system. Government is formed by a ruling coalition of cooperating parties.
Usually a two-party system with third parties holding marginal power.
Examples
Israel, Great Britain, and her former colonies, such as India.
The United States, Mexico, and Brazil.

10. Establishing Stable Governments #3b
To end western domination in their countries
Modernization

11. Islamic Law #4 Islamic Law: Sharia to Western Style Laws
Muslims recognize the Qur’an as governing all aspects of life
It provides guidance for political, social, and economic life as well as for private behavior
Today only a few countries rely on Sharia
Example: Saudi Arabia & Iran
Most Middle East nations have western-style law codes

12. Challenges to Political Stability #5
Ethnic Minorities demanding self-rule
Kurds in Turkey, Iraq, Iran
Rapid population growth and urbanization
Strains on governments
Poverty
illiteracy

13. Conflict In Lebanon #5a Cause religious diversity
For many years, Lebanon was one of the most unstable places in the Middle East
It is home to a number of different religious groups
The Lebanese constitution divided power among the various groups
The Christians had more power than the fast growing Muslim population

14. Conflict In Lebanon Cause religious diversity
In 1975, Lebanon plunged into a civil war that lasted 16 years some foreign involvement
Beirut Marine Barracks Bombing October 23, 1983
In 1991, the Lebanese agreed to a power-sharing agreement that gave the Muslims a greater say in government
confessionalism
In political science terminology, confessionalism is a system of government that proportionally allocates political power among a country's communities—whether religious or ethnic—according to their percentage of the population

15. Westernization #6 Secular governments and schools
Western style law replaced Islamic law
In cities
Young western music, clothing and values
Women for freedoms
Ex. No veil
All leads to the Rise of Fundamentalism

16. Fundamentalism
Belief that society should be based on the principles of one’s religion
Grounded in scriptures that describe gender roles, duties, and relations.

17. Characteristics of Fundamentalism
Desire of a people to return to the values and traditions of their religion
Reaction against secularism and the loss of values/traditions
Tend to believe in a literal interpretation of the scriptures
infallible and historically accurate
Opposition to westernization.
Western influences corrupt the society

18. Secularism Fundamentalism Liberals Conservatives Socialists
Communists
Extremists

19. Islamist Movement (#7) (Islamic Fundamentalism)
Response to westernization (#7a)
Seen as a form of imperialism
It undermines, weakens, challenges Islamic Society
Insisted that the government use the Sharia as the basis of law - Return to Muslim Traditions
Wanted
to restore authority to religious leaders and
to enforce the strict separation of men and women in public places, such as the workplace and schools
Offered a balance to social and economic changes
End foreign dominance in the region

20. Extremism #8 Use terror and violence to promote their values/cause
Claim to be involved in a holy struggle against their enemies of Islam = those who spread western culture and values (new form of imperialism/colonialism) #8a including US
Example of Extremist groups: al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas, Taliban, ISIS
In many Muslim countries, people who feel they have no future continue to be drawn to the extremists #8b
Most Middle East leaders reject the actions of Islamic extremists

21. The Arab Spring (or the Arab Revolutions) refers to the recent revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests occurring in the Arab world.
Video: A Year of Protest

22. Arab Spring Arab Spring
refers to the democratic uprisings that arose independently and spread across the Arab world in 2011.
originated in Tunisia in December 2010
quickly took hold in Egypt, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Bahrain,
Mohamed Bouazizi
was a Tunisian street vendor who set himself on fire on 17 December 2010, in protest of the confiscation of his wares and the harassment and humiliation that he reported was inflicted on him by a municipal official and her aides.
His act became a catalyst for the Tunisian Revolution and the wider Arab Spring

23. Arab Spring Arab Spring
refers to the democratic uprisings that arose independently and spread across the Arab world in 2011.
originated in Tunisia in December 2010
quickly took hold in Egypt, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.
Mohamed Bouazizi
was a Tunisian street vendor who set himself on fire on 17 December 2010, in protest of the confiscation of his wares and the harassment and humiliation that he reported was inflicted on him by a municipal official and her aides.
His act became a catalyst for the Tunisian Revolution and the wider Arab Spring

24. Arab Spring Causes educated but dissatisfied youth
human rights violations
to overthrow of authoritarian government
government corruption
unemployment
extreme poverty

25. Arab Spring Effects Overthrow of several governments
Tunisia: Overthrow of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali; Ben Ali flees into exile in Saudi Arabia
Egypt, President Hosni Mubarak resigned in February, 2011, after two weeks days of massive protests, ending his 30-year presidency.
Libyan leader Muammar al-Gadafi refused to step down, causing a civil war between his loyalists and rebels. Killed by rebels
Yemen: Overthrow of Ali Abdullah Saleh; Saleh granted immunity from prosecution
Syria: contunied fighting between Gov’t army and Free Syrian army

26. Arab Spring Effects Continued fighting and protests Political reforms
Governments overthrown and the formation of new governments
Arab Spring Timeline Link