Historical, Political and Socio-Economic Setting of Middle Eastern Development

Middle Eastern history offers several significant factors and distinguishing features which help to understand the later development of the countries of the region. The discussion, interesting though it may be, about the influence of Islam as a factor in the non-achievement of industrial development in the Middle East, will not be expanded on here. Suffice it to say, to avoid misunderstandings, that the argument attributing this failure to the religion of Islam, has been shown wrong [Rodinson, 1966; Turner, 1974], although a role was undoubtedly played by the social and political make-up of the pre-colonial state under Islam, with its combination of patrimonialism and prebendalism [Turner, 1974; 1984].