Lecture #2 Europeans and Modernity. Europeans Drew the Boundary Lines of the Middle East to Their...
-
Upload
alaina-blankenship -
Category
Documents
-
view
221 -
download
3
Transcript of Lecture #2 Europeans and Modernity. Europeans Drew the Boundary Lines of the Middle East to Their...
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
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.