Politics, Middle East, conflicts, nation, oil, state formation, states, political parties, territorial rules, European state formation, Occident, Orient, ethnic groups, national cohesion, internal conflicts, external conflicts, Schumpeterian formation, Israel, Syria, Egypt, Treaty of Sèvres, Greco-Turkish War, Armenian army, internal conflict, Turkey, Afghanistan, Palestinian territories
The key terms to understand such situations are "political entities" and "state formation". Speaking of political entities rather than states shows the diversity of actors that make up the political life of the Middle East and can change the configuration of the borders, ranging from paramilitary groups to political parties, from recognized states to regions aspiring to independence. As for the term "state formation", it refers to the long-term processes that led to the building of authorities defined uniquely through territorial rule with fixed geographic boundaries. The formation of such states involves the creation of new legitimacy to gain authority and power.
[...] The Afghan state only serves as a regulator of tensions between clan leaders. It has no role as a war actor as stated by Tilly: Afghanistan is not formed by war, but war forms Afghanistan's way of acting. Finally, Israel relies mostly on its antagonism with neighboring countries, in order to form a state with lasting legitimacy. By justifying its actions by the danger of annihilation and its frozen conflict situation with some countries (Lebanon, Syria), the Israeli state can expand its operations in the Palestinian territories with greater ease and unite a population plagued by very strong identity conflicts, which has allowed the country's far right to find their way to the polling stations. [...]
[...] Unlike Ottoman Turkey, who managed to build a centered administration, basing itself on one of the world's first regular armies, Afghanistan is characterized by the influence of warlords who do not respect superior authority nor the same customs and traditions as others. To manage to rule such gunpowder, Dost Mohammad Khan (1842-1863) was assisted by his numerous sons and grandsons, some of whom served as provincial governors, known as sardars (`persons in command; general'), and governed almost autonomously, created a certain sense of national unity and a common goal: resist a potential new foreign invasion (Kakar, Mohammad Hassan, 2005). [...]
[...] First, the whole concept of state formation relies on the European state formation as referent points, leading to all the comparisons issues between a powerful "Occident" and a submitted "Orient". Such perception hampered many academic findings on the subject (Al-Azm, S.J. 1987). Following this statement, modern state formation is understood to have expanded to the Middle East through European colonialism and the later integration of postcolonial states into the international state system. That conceptualization of authority succeeded in being transplanted globally (Giddens 1987; Strang 1991). [...]
[...] Using common traits in culture and common goals in war, political elites of each of these three countries managed to create a formalized state with different international incentives or brakes that hampered or enhanced the long-process necessary to build a state. However, knowing that these states were nurtured by very particular contexts, and are all based on an idea that is turned towards the opposition with a designated other, numerous conflicts emerged inside as well as outside the borders of the three states. [...]
[...] Since this conflict broke out one day after its declaration of independence, it has clearly contributed to the formation of the Israeli state and its borders. The latter now sees the conflict as a necessary trauma, a unique solution to all the problems of internal and external politics that may arise (Gelvin J.L, 2014). Strengthening national identity in tormented times Strengthening national identities in perpetual questioning is also one of the main reasons for the multiplication of inter and intra-state conflicts in the Middle East. [...]
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