Global Economy and Religious Fundamentalism in Egypt (1974-1985)

Document Type : Original Research

Authors
J. Ddara 1
E. Sadeghi 2
1 Assistant professor tarbiyat modares university
2 Ph.D. in Political Science, Allameh Tabataba'i University
Abstract
Introduction

Since the early 1970s, religious fundamentalism has become very widespread. From this time, different researchers have applied a single approach, namely the "cultural" approach to religious fundamentalism. But this approach with a one-dimensional view, in addition to hiding many angles of religious fundamentalism, has resulted in an intangible and domineering downward view. But on the other hand, the economic approach, as the approach of this article, away from issues such as identity, ideology, has focused on a more objective level, which is the economic level, and has replaced a global view with a limited and regional view.

Therefore, in this research, the flow of religious fundamentalism is investigated and studied with an economic approach, focused on the performance and role of the global economy in relation to countries. Of course, two broad views have been proposed regarding the performance of the global economy. The first point of view is called the convergence point of view, which believes that the global economy will definitely bring relative prosperity and development to the world, and the supporters of this point of view have a completely positive view of the performance of the global economy. The second point of view is known as the divergence point of view. The supporters of this point of view emphasize the inequality that the global economy creates deep economic gaps between the two parts of the world, the poor and the rich, and consequently provides the basis for religious fundamentalism. Of course, in addition to these two views, the global economy can be examined from another perspective. That is, the performance and role of the global economy are not absolutely positive or negative; rather, the performance of the world economy in different countries has different effects and results, and the indicators of the world economy, according to the type of economic and development structure of the countries, have different effects. In fact, the effects of the global economy in economically underdeveloped countries can provide the necessary platform for the formation of religious fundamentalism.

With these premises, this research seeks to show that due to the mutual dependence of economies on each other and the necessity of the convergence of the national economy in the global economic system, governments, especially weak governments in terms of economic development, have entered international markets to advance their development strategies and engaged in participation and competition, and they are forced to join other national governments and establish a new order of transnational government in order to restore power in the world; But the inappropriate entry of these governments into the global economy has led to their inability to control some of the negative results and effects in their national economy; Because in the new conditions, power is no longer concentrated in the institution of the nation state, but has been spread and transformed in the global networks of wealth and information. This new power is placed in the codes of information and in representational images, but it has moved in the direction of conflict with the dominant logic of the networked world and has been involved in defensive and offensive conflicts of resistance at individual, national and transnational levels, leading to the formation of religious fundamentalism. In other words, the process of the global economy has gained extraordinary momentum and a current with such a huge scope has had many effects in various societies, especially underdeveloped societies, and has provided many reactions, such as the growth of religious fundamentalist currents. For this purpose, this research seeks to investigate religious fundamentalism in Egypt by focusing on the economic approach because, so far, previous research and sources have used the cultural approach to investigate religious fundamentalism in Egypt and by focusing on issues such as identity, nationality, etc. have investigated this issue. But with a global view, this thesis deals with the more objective level of life, which is the economic level. What effect has the global economy had on the establishment of religious fundamentalism in Egypt between the years (1974-1985)?

Methodology

This research has used the descriptive-analytical method and library sources to investigate this issue.

Results

The findings showed that the performance of the world economy in relation to Egypt's economic development had a destructive aspect and became a platform for the formation of religious fundamentalism. In fact, Egypt, which did not have a legitimate and developmental national government until the 1970s, was involved in internal conflicts, economic instability, and class divisions. In such a situation, the national government of Egypt enters the world economy under the title of opening policy to improve its status, but it becomes weaker than in the past because the indicators of the global economy, on the one hand, lead to the decline of the legitimacy and authority of the government and, on the other hand, lead to the disillusionment and dissatisfaction of the people with the economic situation of their country, which consequently provides a suitable platform for the presence and expansion of religious fundamentalism.

Keywords

Subjects

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Political Organizing of Space
Volume 5, Issue 4 - Serial Number 20
December 2023
Pages 454-465