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Why the Arab Spring turned Islamic: the political economy of Islam

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  • Mario Ferrero

    (University of Eastern Piedmont)

Abstract

This paper argues that the fundamental reason for the ascendancy of political Islam in the wake of the Arab revolutions lies in the uncompetitive nature of the religion and its implications for political economy: the fact that Islam is one and long since unchanged, which makes the Islamists’ call very costly to resist and very attractive to follow. The argument is developed through an examination of sectarian and legal history in Islam and a comparison of the nexus between church, state and individual in Christian and Muslim religious traditions. Special attention is devoted to Islamic Law and the law schools that define it.

Suggested Citation

  • Mario Ferrero, 2018. "Why the Arab Spring turned Islamic: the political economy of Islam," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 29(2), pages 230-251, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:copoec:v:29:y:2018:i:2:d:10.1007_s10602-017-9247-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s10602-017-9247-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Eswaran Mukesh, 2011. "Competition and Performance in the Marketplace for Religion: A Theoretical Perspective," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 11(1), pages 1-36, March.
    2. Ferrero, Mario, 2017. "Thresholds: A model of religious governance and evolution," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 1-21.
    3. Mario Ferrero, 2009. "The Economics of Theocracy," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Mario Ferrero & Ronald Wintrobe (ed.), The Political Economy of Theocracy, chapter 2, pages 31-55, Palgrave Macmillan.
    4. Mario Ferrero, 2005. "Radicalization as a reaction to failure: An economic model of Islamic extremism," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 122(1), pages 199-220, January.
    5. Jared Rubin, 2011. "Institutions, the Rise of Commerce and the Persistence of Laws: Interest Restrictions in Islam and Christianity," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 121(557), pages 1310-1339, December.
    6. Mario Ferrero, 2011. "The infallibility of the pope," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 89-99, March.
    7. Mario Ferrero, 2014. "Competition Between Exclusive Religions: The Counter-Reformation As Entry Deterrence," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 61(3), pages 280-303, July.
    8. repec:bla:kyklos:v:55:y:2002:i:3:p:335-60 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Ferrero, Mario, 2008. "The triumph of Christianity in the Roman empire: An economic interpretation," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 73-87, March.
    10. Mario Ferrero & Ronald Wintrobe (ed.), 2009. "The Political Economy of Theocracy," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-0-230-62006-3, December.
    11. Pierre Salmon, 2009. "Serving God in a Largely Theocratic Society: Rivalry and Cooperation between Church and King," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Mario Ferrero & Ronald Wintrobe (ed.), The Political Economy of Theocracy, chapter 3, pages 57-80, Palgrave Macmillan.
    12. Niklas Potrafke, 2012. "Islam and democracy," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 151(1), pages 185-192, April.
    13. Mario Ferrero, 2013. "The rise and demise of theocracy: theory and some evidence," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 156(3), pages 723-750, September.
    14. Charles Rowley & Nathanael Smith, 2009. "Islam’s democracy paradox: Muslims claim to like democracy, so why do they have so little?," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 139(3), pages 273-299, June.
    15. Mario Ferrero, 2002. "Competition for Sainthood and the Millennial Church," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(3), pages 335-360, August.
    16. Timur Kuran, 2004. "Why the Middle East is Economically Underdeveloped: Historical Mechanisms of Institutional Stagnation," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 18(3), pages 71-90, Summer.
    17. Stelios Michalopoulos & Alireza Naghavi & Giovanni Prarolo, 2012. "Trade and Geography in the Origins and Spread of Islam," Working Papers 2012-12, Brown University, Department of Economics.
    18. Robbert Maseland & André Hoorn, 2011. "Why Muslims like democracy yet have so little of it," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 147(3), pages 481-496, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Eswaran, Mukesh, 2018. "Decentralized Terrorism and Social Identity," Microeconomics.ca working papers tina_marandola-2018-4, Vancouver School of Economics, revised 06 Jun 2018.
    2. Mario Ferrero, 2020. "A theory of revolutionary organizations," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 21(3), pages 245-273, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Islamic law; Political Islamism; Political economy of religion; Religious competition; Sectarianism;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • Z12 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Religion

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