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2004-10-18 Home Front: Culture Wars

Islam: A Totalitarian Ideology? (Debate)

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Posted by tipper 2004-10-18 18:10|| || Front Page|| [4 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 After reading "The Ottoman Centuries" by Lord Kinross, one of the best works out in paperback and to be recommended, I would not say "totalitarian", but extremely "authoritarian." A good comparison would be to a Mafia, where all activity is done for "the big boss", from whom also flows all largesse. In historical times, they had little if any government comparable to that of a modern state, and yet kept to such low-level controls as the ruler owning all lands, letting them be used by loyal subordinates for only one generation, not inheritable, before reverting in ownership to the ruler. The ruler has (keeping the Mafia analogy) Lieutenants, Consigliaries, and Torpedos. More complex than a typical Mafia, there are elaborate familial relationships and a quasi-governmental bureaucracy.

Posted by Anonymoose 2004-10-18 9:44:32 PM|| 2004-10-18 9:44:32 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 Good book, Anonymoose. Based upon my readings from Arendt, I'd say that the Islamic system encourages totalitarian leanings, or at least a strong bent towards authoritarian systems. But the mechanism of government or civil discourse is left open enough in Islam that it can't be said to *necessitate* statist systems. Repressive, yes, but not necessarily totalitarian.

But, debate what? This is like asking: "Is there gravity, or does the earth sucketh?" Not a lot of wiggle room.

Posted by Asedwich 2004-10-18 11:38:55 PM|| 2004-10-18 11:38:55 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 The Ottoman invaded Greece, the Balkans, and threatened Vienna. They also practiced slavery and imposed dhimmitude on Christians and Jews.

Hardly authoritarian, little-control, elaborate, admirable, or respectable.

Despicable and hateful are the more appropriate terms.

Posted by Kalle (kafir forever) 2004-10-19 12:13:19 AM|| [http://radio.weblogs.com/0103811/categories/currentEvents/] 2004-10-19 12:13:19 AM|| Front Page Top

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