ABSTRACT
Salafists, Islamic extremists, and Islamic fundamentalists are all labels that have long served as placeholders and catch-all designations for a subset from within the Islamic world that is believed to be both pious and uncompromising when it comes to the acceptance of democratic principles. Where Islamic organizations have voiced support for democratic institutions, they often face significant skepticism or increased scrutiny as to their conceptualization of democracy. The Salafists of Egypt, Libya, and Syria faced choices with regard to the strategies and tactics they would use to compete for power in their newly destabilized environments. Just as interpersonal trust dynamics conditioned the organization and evolution of movements in Egypt, Libya, and Syria, they influenced the decisions made by these ideologically extreme groups. Where the social order was fractured, political mobilization was fractured and terrorism was a more appropriate tool than others to influence the political situation.
