Week 10 Reading 4: Clash of Civilizations

Historical precedence indicates that increasing power within a civilization can lead to conflict.
- Thucydides highlights how the growing power of Athens resulted in the Peloponnesian War.
- Western history reflects a pattern of "hegemonic wars" between rising and falling powers.
Different civilizations respond differently to the emergence of new powers.
- Balancing and bandwagoning are two strategic adjustments by states in response to new powers.
- It is suggested that Asian civilizations may lean towards bandwagoning, while the rise of Chinese power might prompt a balancing reaction from states like the United States, India, and Russia.
The notable absence of a hegemonic war between Great Britain and the United States is attributed to the close cultural connections between the two.
- This is contrasted with the relationship between the West and China, where cultural kinship is lacking but conflict is more probable.
The dynamism of Islam potentially leads to smaller conflicts but the rise of China poses threats of larger intercivilizational wars.

Western leaders like President Bill Clinton assert that conflicts are primarily with radical extremists rather than with Islam itself.
- However, historical relations between Islam and both Orthodox and Western Christianity are tumultuous and conflict-prone.
- John Esposito notes a historical dynamic where Muslims and Christians often found themselves in competition and conflict for power, land, and conversion of souls.

The spread of Islam in the 7th to 8th centuries established Muslim rule across North Africa, Iberia, Persia, and northern India.
The stabilization of divisions occurred until the late 11th century when Christians reclaimed control through the Crusades, which began in 1095.
- Christians attempted to reestablish rule in the Holy Land until losing Acre in 1291.
The Ottoman Turks emerged, diminishing Byzantine influence, conquering the Balkans, and besieging Vienna in 1529.
Bernard Lewis asserts that Europe faced threats from Islam for almost a thousand years.
By the 15th century, Christians began reclaiming territory in Iberia, completing it in 1492, enabled by European advancements in ocean navigation.
The Ottomans made a final push in 1683, failing in Vienna, beginning their long decline.

The conclusion of World War I left only Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Afghanistan as independent Muslim countries by 1920.
Western colonialism began a gradual retreat in the 1920s and accelerated post-World War II, leading to new Muslim states emerging post-Soviet collapse.
The violent nature of interactions from 1820 to 1929 shows 50% of wars between states of different religions involved Muslims and Christians.

Differences in Religion:
- Muslim ideology views Islam as a comprehensive way of life tied to politics, contrasting with Western Christianity's separation of God and governance.
- Both are monotheistic and universalistic religions; neither can accommodate additional deities.
- The concepts of "jihad" and "crusade" create a shared but opposing basis for expansion through conflict.
Historical Coincidence of Conflict:
- Growth in Muslim populations led to migrations into Byzantine territories in the 7th century, paralleling European economic growth leading to the Crusades.

The evolution of Islam and the West ultimately leads to a struggle for power and cultural identity:
- Questions of who rules and moral dichotomies define the relationship.
- Distancing from earlier territorial conflicts, contemporary disputes revolve around issues like:
- Weapons proliferation.
- Human rights and democracy.
- Oil control and migration issues.
- Islamist terrorism and Western interventions.
Notable conflicts involve primarily Muslims and Christians, with a significant number occurring in Africa and Southeast Asia.

The end of the Cold War intensified animosities recognized by both groups.
- Social observations imply a societal Cold War emerging between the West and Islam post-1991.
- Factors include ideological differences, historical rivalries, perceptions of Western domination, and comparative achievements.
Prominent figures in both Islam and the West acknowledge this clash of civilizations:
- Egyptian journalist Mohamed Sid-Ahmed notes an expanding clash between Judeo-Christian ethics and Islamic revivalism.

The increasing identification of Muslim societies with Islam leads to anti-Western sentiment fueled by:
- Cultural reassertion against perceived Western interference.
- Lack of positive discourse about Western values among Muslim leaders.
Perceptions of the West as corrupt, immoral, and materialistic lead to resistance against Western influence.

The early post-Cold War environment saw a quasi-war develop, characterized by:
- Limited means where battles are fought with terrorism, air power, and economic sanctions.
- Continued violence punctuated with pauses, recognized by both sides as war-like.
Each side capitalizes on strengths:
- Islamic militants utilize Western openness to instigate terror, while Western forces exploit technological advantages in air power.

Villainization of communities involved in the quasi-war leads to high casualty rates.
Evidence suggests a lack of protest from Muslim communities against violence, with governments reluctant to condemn attacks on the West.
Western powers label states with defined ideological stances toward Islam and terrorism, further entrenching civilizational tensions.

The underlying conflict between Islam and the West is not solely based on terrorism but reflects deeper ideological and cultural divisions:
- Muslims view Islamic civilization as superior, and the West’s perceived cultural imperialism exacerbates resentments.
- The West views its own civilization as universal and feels an obligation to extend its values worldwide, creating a foundational conflict.

Post-1945, economic changes in Asia have profound implications for global politics.
- East Asian economic growth fosters optimism, mistakenly equating trade with peace.
- However, economic expansions lead to political instabilities and conflicts among nations.
Conflicts in modern Asia arise from:
1. Enhanced military capabilities of Asian states lead to increased rivalries.
2. Growing tensions between Asian societies and the West, especially the United States.
3. China's ascendance brings up containment strategies versus accommodation responses from other nations.
Historical context frames modern relations, as the dynamics in Asia evolve from a predominantly Western-oriented power framework to one where Asian states, especially China, challenge Western dominance.