Lecture #2 Europeans and Modernity

Europeans Drew the Boundary Lines of the Middle East to Their Own Advantage

• Divide and Rule

• Kurds into 5 separate countries

• Sunni and Shia Crammed Together

In World War II, Europeans Lost Control of the Middle East

• France was crushed by Germany. England was almost crushed.

• Arabs cheered Nazis– The enemy of my enemy is my friend. – Early roots of Arab anti-Semitism – Some political parties in the Arab world were

modeled on the Nazis

European Nations Supported a State for the Jews

• Israel

• Arabs saw this as lingering European Imperialism

• Attacked the Jewish state– Jews managed to win– Humiliation for the Arabs

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Middle East Caught in the Middle of the Cold War

• To be Communist or Capitalist?

• Some Argue Neither– Return to traditional ways of Islam

To Modernize or Not?

• What is the deal with freedom for women, technology, and secular government?– Modern? Good! – Western? Bad!

• Turkey, for example, set up a secular government, wore Western clothing, and the economy did well. – Are they sell outs?

The Middle East is Cursed by Oil

• Cursed? It is worth trillions of dollars!

• The problem? A military government takes over. It controls the oil. It sells it to foreigners. It doesn’t collect taxes, which means it doesn’t need to listen to its people.

• Oil wealth goes to violent elite. If you are a young Saudi, you are either one of the 5% who are super-rich and travel to Europe to party like a prince (or like Prince, himself) or you are one of the 95% who is poor and has no future (no jobs, etc.) (kinda like no starring role in Purple Rain)

Wealthy Middle Eastern Governments Often Use Religion as a Way to Control Their Populations

God wants you to be super rich and

me to have nothing?

Yeah. He’s funny like

that.

End of Day #2