Abstract
The question as to whether religion can block economic development and
institutional change, or is a purely endogenous factor, assumes particular importance today
because of the rise of Islamist movements and the disappointing economic performances in
the lands of Islam. This paper starts from a critical examination of the thesis of Bernard
Lewis according to which the lack of separation between religion and politics creates
particular difficulties on the way to modern economic growth in these lands. It will be
argued that (1°) Lewis' thesis conceals the critical fact that, even when political and religious
functions appear to be merged, religion is the handmaiden rather than the master of politics;
(2°) the influence of religion increases when the state falls into crisis, owing to its impotence
or excessive absolutism; (3°) because the Islamic frame of reference provides political rulers
with a cheap default option when they are contested, they rarely undertake the much-needed
reforms of the country's institutions; (4°) this way of escape is all the more attractive to
contested rulers as Islamist movements, born of the internal situation as well as of the
international environment, accuse them of un-Islamic behaviour; (5°) as argued by Timur
Kuran, by creating an "institutional trap", the legacy of the Islamic classical system also
makes institutional reforms more difficult to achieve.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 329-351 |
Number of pages | 23 |
Journal | Journal of economic behaviour and organisation |
Volume | 68 |
Issue number | 2 |
Publication status | Unpublished - 2008 |
Keywords
- religion
- Culture
- Middle East
- Islam
- political economics