ABSTRACT
The most interesting part of any Central Asian city is the bazaar. The bazaar is the most elemental of all Central Asian institutions. It represents the essence of Central Asian society. In the bazaars of Central Asia one gets a concrete sense of the daily contact of modernity with tradition. The transition in Central Asia to independence, self-government, and participation in the international community is probably better seen as "invention" than "rediscovery." Islam is the mind, heart, and soul of indigenous Central Asian society. It is the defining feature of the native societies of Central Asia. The Soviet government actively sought to displace Islam as an intellectual tradition in Central Asia. The Soviet campaign against Islam went through stages. For a time the Soviet government tried to eradicate Islam completely. The procedures of good government stress the rule of law and an independent judiciary.
