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Temptations of Power: Islamists and Illiberal Democracy in a New...
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Most helpful positive review
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 starsAn unbiased context and history of the political struggle for Islamic government
ByJoe Briggson October 4, 2014
Temptations is an academic, yet accessible work that details the struggles of some of the groups of people who believe that Islam is a complete recipe for life and living, and feel motivated to form a society that is a complete and uncorrupted manifestation of it. It introduces the inherent conflict between the western notion of 'liberal democracy' and right of a people to demand it be limited by Sharia or other conservative religious admonitions.
The book does not pass judgement on the strengths or weaknesses of Islam-as-government, but rather examines Islam-as-political-party, and their strategies, following, successes, failures, and weaknesses. I was very impressed how the author could write such as book without showing any detectable sign of bias.
Be aware that Temptations is an insiders book - it tosses in terms and names that I wasn't familiar with. It would have been nice if the author included a one-page guide or cheat-sheet that gave a quick breakdown on terms like "vicegerency", or "umma", or "Rachid Ghannouchi", or, most importantly, exactly what the hell "Sharia" actually is. The book chronicles Islamic political movements primarily in Tunisia, Egypt, and Jordan.
While Hamid chronicles and analyzes the Arab Spring - which has happened before our eyes these last four years, he provides background and historical context for each of those countries. He also provides some limited amount of analysis at the end about the role of US influence in these governments has tainted the people from finding their own natural political center, and how that still lingers and demurs those whom it effects.
I found Temptations to be very useful in understanding and wetting my appetite for learning more about Islam and Islamic government, but it is a chicken nugget and not a Happy Meal - it doesn't attempt to wrap everything up into one tidy package. You will need to search further if you are interested in a fuller understanding. I am already looking for the next book in this puzzle.
The book does not pass judgement on the strengths or weaknesses of Islam-as-government, but rather examines Islam-as-political-party, and their strategies, following, successes, failures, and weaknesses. I was very impressed how the author could write such as book without showing any detectable sign of bias.
Be aware that Temptations is an insiders book - it tosses in terms and names that I wasn't familiar with. It would have been nice if the author included a one-page guide or cheat-sheet that gave a quick breakdown on terms like "vicegerency", or "umma", or "Rachid Ghannouchi", or, most importantly, exactly what the hell "Sharia" actually is. The book chronicles Islamic political movements primarily in Tunisia, Egypt, and Jordan.
While Hamid chronicles and analyzes the Arab Spring - which has happened before our eyes these last four years, he provides background and historical context for each of those countries. He also provides some limited amount of analysis at the end about the role of US influence in these governments has tainted the people from finding their own natural political center, and how that still lingers and demurs those whom it effects.
I found Temptations to be very useful in understanding and wetting my appetite for learning more about Islam and Islamic government, but it is a chicken nugget and not a Happy Meal - it doesn't attempt to wrap everything up into one tidy package. You will need to search further if you are interested in a fuller understanding. I am already looking for the next book in this puzzle.
Most helpful critical review
6 of 24 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 starsSimply more apologies and propaganda for the brotherhood
ByMarcoon September 24, 2014
While the author writes as a neutral academic, he has in other articles shown great support and bias to the Muslim Brotherhood. This should be a disclaimer clearly presented to the reader. There is an agenda here.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
ByJoe Briggson October 4, 2014
Temptations is an academic, yet accessible work that details the struggles of some of the groups of people who believe that Islam is a complete recipe for life and living, and feel motivated to form a society that is a complete and uncorrupted manifestation of it. It introduces the inherent conflict between the western notion of 'liberal democracy' and right of a people to demand it be limited by Sharia or other conservative religious admonitions.
The book does not pass judgement on the strengths or weaknesses of Islam-as-government, but rather examines Islam-as-political-party, and their strategies, following, successes, failures, and weaknesses. I was very impressed how the author could write such as book without showing any detectable sign of bias.
Be aware that Temptations is an insiders book - it tosses in terms and names that I wasn't familiar with. It would have been nice if the author included a one-page guide or cheat-sheet that gave a quick breakdown on terms like "vicegerency", or "umma", or "Rachid Ghannouchi", or, most importantly, exactly what the hell "Sharia" actually is. The book chronicles Islamic political movements primarily in Tunisia, Egypt, and Jordan.
While Hamid chronicles and analyzes the Arab Spring - which has happened before our eyes these last four years, he provides background and historical context for each of those countries. He also provides some limited amount of analysis at the end about the role of US influence in these governments has tainted the people from finding their own natural political center, and how that still lingers and demurs those whom it effects.
I found Temptations to be very useful in understanding and wetting my appetite for learning more about Islam and Islamic government, but it is a chicken nugget and not a Happy Meal - it doesn't attempt to wrap everything up into one tidy package. You will need to search further if you are interested in a fuller understanding. I am already looking for the next book in this puzzle.
The book does not pass judgement on the strengths or weaknesses of Islam-as-government, but rather examines Islam-as-political-party, and their strategies, following, successes, failures, and weaknesses. I was very impressed how the author could write such as book without showing any detectable sign of bias.
Be aware that Temptations is an insiders book - it tosses in terms and names that I wasn't familiar with. It would have been nice if the author included a one-page guide or cheat-sheet that gave a quick breakdown on terms like "vicegerency", or "umma", or "Rachid Ghannouchi", or, most importantly, exactly what the hell "Sharia" actually is. The book chronicles Islamic political movements primarily in Tunisia, Egypt, and Jordan.
While Hamid chronicles and analyzes the Arab Spring - which has happened before our eyes these last four years, he provides background and historical context for each of those countries. He also provides some limited amount of analysis at the end about the role of US influence in these governments has tainted the people from finding their own natural political center, and how that still lingers and demurs those whom it effects.
I found Temptations to be very useful in understanding and wetting my appetite for learning more about Islam and Islamic government, but it is a chicken nugget and not a Happy Meal - it doesn't attempt to wrap everything up into one tidy package. You will need to search further if you are interested in a fuller understanding. I am already looking for the next book in this puzzle.
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15 of 19 people found the following review helpful
ByCanleeza14on June 24, 2014
Prior to reading the book, I believed, alongside many other foreign policy commentators of today, that the waves of the democratic Arab spring would eventually lead to a liberalization and moderation of Islamist political parties. Shadi flips this thesis on its head by eloquently analyzing the Egyptian and Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood organizations in an interesting, yet not overly-scholarly manner. The author's anecdotes of meetings with senior Islamist figures gives the text an extra dimension and and I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the Middle East and political parties.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 starsit would appear that Democracy is not and never will be able to easily sit with Islam
ByGarry Mc Keonon December 22, 2014
This is certainly a very worth while read in trying to fathom what is and are the primary issues in the Islamic world at the moment. There is no doubt that some of the Islamic people are torn between wanting all the attractions of the (Christian ) west, yet torn between the traditional beliefs of Islam and trying to survive in this modern high tech world. Pragmatic politics, hide fundamental issues that are well detailed and outlined in this study of the "Brotherhood" across the Arab world. In this book, it would appear that Democracy is not and never will be able to easily sit with Islam. A fundamental shift in tolerance ( that was traditional in the Muslim religion) of the need to live as a Muslim and yet respect the state to serve all its subjects will be required if the Muslim peoples are going to avoid self implosion. Illiberal democracy is not democracy at all, and the obsession with Sharia law being the only way appears counter intuitive and incompatible in a modern society, yet something worth dying for. I found this study very informative and it has broadened my understanding of a very interesting religion,people, and their development of their societies.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
ByAmazon Customeron July 4, 2015
This book gives a much clearer view on the thinking of the Islamist than I have see before and offers insight into their extreme difficulties in coming to power. It, when read with Fields Of Blood helped me understand why much that has happened and continues to happen in the Middle East is going to be very problematic for many years to come! In the west we think of sharia as something that only radicles would want, but in reality much it the Muslim world actually wants and expects it to be the law. Perhaps I am wrong, but I don't think so.
I think the next few decades are going to be very difficult and would not hazard a guest as to how it all sorts out.
RDB
I think the next few decades are going to be very difficult and would not hazard a guest as to how it all sorts out.
RDB
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ByC. Townsendon September 13, 2015
Hamid's primary argument is that Muslim Brotherhood groups (primarily in Tunisia, Jordan, and Egypt) became more moderate as a result of regime repression. The argument is an interesting contrast to the usual ideas of increased radicalization from repression. Jordan and Tunisia groups joined together and moderated fringe elements to gain access to the political system under repressive regimes. Egypt is similarly described, but I think more attention should have been given to the role of extremists (vs government repression). The MB in Egypt had to shift to the center and decry violent means to avoid being lumped in with more extreme elements. In Egypt's case, moderation was caused more by the group distancing itself from the fringe to avoid repression than it was from the repression itself.
Shadi Hamid makes extensive use of personal interviews from the cafe's of Jordan and Tunisia to the tents of Tahrir square to give the reader a sense of what the men on the ground think about their organizations and machinations. Hamid makes a solid case for his argument and the book was a pleasure to read.
Shadi Hamid makes extensive use of personal interviews from the cafe's of Jordan and Tunisia to the tents of Tahrir square to give the reader a sense of what the men on the ground think about their organizations and machinations. Hamid makes a solid case for his argument and the book was a pleasure to read.
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16 of 24 people found the following review helpful
ByKevin J. Ashleyon July 5, 2014
Written like an academic so a little slow. But a message everyone needs to hear. Islamists are not Al Qaeda. Sharia is not evil. To understand the yearning for freedom in the Arab world one must understand the Arab people whose conservative views are so often ignored when evaluating "what is good for them". For Western Colonialists this book gives some insight into the disagreements between traditional Arab culture and both 20th century extremes in capitalism and communism. A third choice anathema to both. But what do you do when the majority chooses it?
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1 of 4 people found the following review helpful
ByButchon October 31, 2014
He gives you some great insights into the Arab world in particular and why there is no democracy as we in the west look at it !
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0 of 3 people found the following review helpful
ByIrwin Krameron September 23, 2014
asignificant and realistic viewpoint
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0 of 4 people found the following review helpful
ByFred Baumgartenon October 2, 2014
This book begins to explain the 'why' of what appears to be a series of irrational actions and reactions that are shaping current events.
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0 of 3 people found the following review helpful
ByAmazon Customeron November 13, 2014
good
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