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Legitimacy, Religion, and Nationalism in the Middle East

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  • Razi, G. Hossein

Abstract

The significance of legitimacy to regime maintenance has been much neglected in recent investigations of the Third World, particularly by behavioralists and rational choice theorists. I define legitimacy, discuss factors that may have contributed to this neglect, and explore the significance of nationalism and religion as major sources of legitimacy in the Middle East. Both a misunderstanding of the role of higher values and rationality in individuals' relationship to social systems and a faulty projection applied to the mainsprings of behavior in other cultures have distorted the perceptions of a number of Western analysts. The relationship between religion and nationalism is complex. Contrary to the common assumption in the West, Islam in general has generated fairly sophisticated constitutional theories. Islamic fundamentalism in particular has been a major source of innovation and adaptation—as well as of spiritual gratification—for the Muslim masses.

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  • Razi, G. Hossein, 1990. "Legitimacy, Religion, and Nationalism in the Middle East," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 84(1), pages 69-91, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:apsrev:v:84:y:1990:i:01:p:69-91_19
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    Cited by:

    1. J. Paul Goode & David R. Stroup, 2015. "Everyday Nationalism: Constructivism for the Masses," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 96(3), pages 717-739, September.

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