Introduction

This general introduction starts by underlining a commonly held assumption that order, and anarchy are antinomic, and that crisis represents disequilibrium and conflictual situations whereas order entails equilibrium and conflict resolution. This assumption is not supported by many stylized facts in the MENA region that indicate how enemies can collude to profit from the persistence of conflict. This is what I have described as ‘ordered anarchy’ or destructive coordination and I raise three questions that will be addressed in the book: (1) How can we describe a destructive coordination? (2) Is Islamic economics compatible with destructive coordination particularly with a confiscatory regime? (3) What is the relationship of destructive coordination and Islamic economics with market and political capitalism? First chapter will briefly review principal concepts introduced in other chapters, namely destructive coordination, Anfal, and political capitalism and underline some of the theoretical and practical interests of topics covered in this book. It also provides an overview of different chapters of the book. I will then highlight the research method and the background of the present book by discussing its relationship with my previous works.