Islam, authoritarianism, and underdevelopment: A global and historical comparison

Islam, Authoritarianism, and Underdevelopment: A Global and Historical Comparison is an ambitious study of contemporary problems of political violence, authoritarianism and socioeconomic underdevelopment in Islamic societies. The monograph starts with the question, ‘Why are Muslim-majority countries less peaceful, less democratic, and less developed?’ To address this question, the book is divided into two parts: the first discusses the respective problems of 49 Muslim-majority countries and elaborates on prevailing theoretical explanations, and the second examines historical patterns of Muslim development and progress with a particular focus on the roots of ‘intellectual and economic stagnation, which constituted the historical origin of their current vicious circle of authoritarianism and socioeconomic underdevelopment’ (66). The book skilfully indicates that Muslims’ contemporary problems cannot be explained by singling out a particular factor such as Islam or colonial invasions. Instead, the author contends, class relations have played a critical role in the rise and decline of Muslim intellectual and economic progress. The book suggests that the ulema–state alliance substantially undermined intellectual and merchant classes, leading to stagnation