Liberalism and Humanism - The Arab Case
Ibrahem Badran, Adviser to the President of Philadelphia University for International Relations and Scientific Centers, Philadelphia University, Amman, Jordan.
Abstract
Liberalism as a school of thought focuses on individul freedom, the rule of law, constitutional government, economic freedom, tolerance of others in thought, apinion and belief, and denial of authoritative regimes.
The practical interpretation of liberalism is institutional democracy, equal citizenship and freedom of ownership. Liberalism stems from the fact that individiaul freedom and right is the essence so no authority should not block such freedom. Because "Liberal Capitalism" is not an ideology, every society builds its economy and institutions according to what its experts, thinkers and environment dictate. Hence, countries differ totally in the details of its economic and political structures although they meet in the overall theory of capitalism and democracy. Enlightenment and industrialization as demonstrated by the four industrial revolutions were the engines to create liberal societies and systems. This is what we see in Europe, Japan, and other countries which adopt liberalism.
Liberalism was not looked at favorably in the Arab region on the basis of religious thinking, attachment to the "past" or blaming liberal thinking for the aggressive policies adopted by colonizing countries, without proper differentiation between politics and liberalism. The Arab region is still the least liberalized region in the world which does not adopt democracy and freedom and tolerance of the other. This situation impels political and intellectual thinkers in the Arab region to promote liberalism in order to adopt progress and freedom.