Devout Neoliberalism?! Explaining Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood's Socio-economic Perspective and Policies

How can we explain the neoliberal orientation of Islamist movements in the Middle East? This paper attempts to answer this question by exploring the case of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. It analyzes in depth the Brotherhood's socio-economic vision and policies when it was in power between 20...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: ʿAnānī, Ḫalīl (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Cambridge Univ. Press [2020]
In: Politics and religion
Year: 2020, Volume: 13, Issue: 4, Pages: 748-767
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Egypt / Muslimbruderschaft / Islam / Piety / Socioeconomic system / Neo-liberalism
IxTheo Classification:AD Sociology of religion; religious policy
BJ Islam
KBL Near East and North Africa
ZC Politics in general
Online Access: Volltext (Verlag)
Volltext (doi)
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Summary:How can we explain the neoliberal orientation of Islamist movements in the Middle East? This paper attempts to answer this question by exploring the case of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. It analyzes in depth the Brotherhood's socio-economic vision and policies when it was in power between 2012 and 2013. It argues that the Brotherhood adopted a market-oriented vision, which encouraged the private sector, liberalized the economy, and appealed to foreign investments. As a socio-political movement, the Brotherhood attempted to strike a balance between its constituency, which is rooted in the lower, middle, and upper-middle classes, and its commitment to neoliberal policies. However, this paradoxical balance burdened the movement and affected its popularity. The article also contends that the Brotherhood's neoliberal leanings can be explained by three key factors: the movement's pragmatism, its “devout” bourgeoisie, and the appeal for international acceptance and recognition.
ISSN:1755-0491
Contains:Enthalten in: Politics and religion
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1017/S1755048320000085