ABSTRACT
In much of the first half of the twentieth century, at least two-thirds of the Muslim world was lodged in the formal collective empire of the Western world. In much of the second half of the twentieth century, most of the Muslim world has existed within the informal collective empire of the West. In the years of formal imperialism, and especially after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Muslim countries were colonies and dependencies of such countries as Britain, France, the Netherlands, and Italy. In a special sense, Russia was also a colonizer of Muslims. In the more recent years of informal imperialism, the United States has assumed a preeminent hegemonic position, supported by two or three of the major European powers. During the years of formal empire, the Muslim world underwent substantial cultural Westernization—in values, dress code, educational systems, lifestyle, and economies. In recent years, the West has begun a process of demographic Islamization. Muslims are on their way towards outnumbering Jews in the United States, France, and potentially in all of western Europe. However, although Muslims may outnumber Jews, will they ever overshadow Jewish influence in any time span of less than a century?
