Middle East Economic Models: State Intervention & Capitalism
Understanding State Intervention in Middle Eastern Economies
Goals were widely held by citizens at large, thus presenting no impediments to the interventionist state.
Case Studies: Characteristics of Interventionist States
Common Blueprint for Radical Transformation
Specific states—Egypt (1957-74), Algeria (1962-89), Syria (1963-present), Iraq (1963-present), Tunisia (1962-69), Sudan (1969-72), and Libya (1969-present)—shared a common blueprint for the radical transformation of their societies and
Read More18th Century Basque Literature: Southern Writers & Larramendi
18th Century Basque Literature: Southern Writers
Introduction to Southern Basque Literary Trends
Basque book production in the Southern Basque Country during the 18th century presented a stark contrast to the preceding two centuries in the Northern Basque Country (Iparralde). The 18th century saw significant differences emerge.
Initially, the first decades of the 18th century were relatively slow for Basque literature in the Southern Basque Country.
Manuel Larramendi and the Jesuit Revival
A slight recovery
Read MoreEuropean Social Movements and National Unifications
European Social and Labor Movements
Key Political Parties and Organizations
- SPD (German Social Democratic Party): Founded in 1875, inspired by Marxism, the SPD promoted the creation of national unions.
- CNT (National Labor Confederation): A significant labor confederation.
- Labor Party: The standard-bearer of socialist thought in Great Britain, representing employment or employees.
- PSOE (Partido Socialista Obrero Español): Held a radical stance against class collaboration with the bourgeoisie and was
Auguste Comte’s Positivism: Philosophy & Stages
Auguste Comte and Positivism
Auguste Comte, born in Montpellier, denied violence and defended the need “to consolidate all power in the hands of those who possess it, no matter who,” provided it aligned with the progressive ideals of the Enlightenment, and not with monarchical reaction.
Comte’s Philosophical Stance
Under the impact of the French Revolution, Comte came into contact with utopian socialism and eventually became pragmatic. He distinguished between two interpretations of the dialectic:
Read MorePolitical Participation in Modern Democracies
Political Participation in Representative Democracy
The original meaning of the word participation in Latin was to take part in a deal and communicate something. Political participation refers to taking part in the election of rulers. It is a process by which political power is allocated and distributed by the public, and through which the electoral process voluntarily communicates policy preferences from citizens to politicians and the general public.
Forms of Political Participation
Political participation
Read MoreLiberalism’s Evolution & Durkheim’s Social Theories
Key Concepts in Liberalism and Sociology
Major Events Shaping Liberalism
- 1789: The French Revolution and the Ratification of the American Constitution.
- 1848: Revolutions across Europe, beginning in France, marking the end of Absolutism.
- 1859: J.S. Mill publishes On Liberty, establishing standards for the relationship between authority and individual freedom. Mill emphasized individuality as a prerequisite for higher pleasures and criticized past attempts to defend it, noting how democratic ideals could