The Failure of Political Islam

摘要: For many Westerners, ours seems to be the era of "Islamic threat, " with radical Muslims everywhere on rise and march, remaking societies altering landscape contemporary politics. In a powerful corrective this view, French political philosopher Olivier Roy presents an entirely different verdict: Islam is failure. Even if Islamic fundamentalists take power in countries like Algeria, they will unable reshape economics politics and, name universalism, express no more than nationalism or even narrower agenda. Despite all rhetoric about way, economy, state, realities Muslim world remain essentially unchanged. demonstrates that Islamism today still Third Worldism 1960s: populist mixed economies laissez-faire for rich subsidies poor. Roy's striking formulation, those marching beneath Islam's green banners are same as "reds" yesterday, similarly dim prospects success. has much say sociology Islam, set ideas assumptions at its core. He explains lucidly why Iran, sound fury revolution, been launch "sister republics" beyond borders, dream establishing "third force" international relations remains futile one. Richly informed, powerfully argued, clearly written, book one trying understand fundamentalism can afford overlook.