Nassif Nassar sets forth his own interpretation of the philosophical construct of power in such a clear and concise way that cannot be matched to the consensus of critics in Arab political thought. His views go beyond the Khaldouni school of thought which inspired him in his youth to embrace a normative concept of power rather than a descriptive one, and he does so by remaining within the realm of the social world. He then enters into a critical dialogue with the history of political philosophy in the West, from Plato to Rawls, thus tracing back the roots of historical materialism to its theoretical origins.
If the social contract came out in response to the social, political and cultural factors that shaped the European experience during the eighteenth century, and paved the way towards the French uprisings of 1789, the rationale for power would thus be a philosophical response to the pressing need for Arab societies to free themselves from the tyranny and domination of their oppressive regimes. Indeed, the conditions in which the Arab World is subjected to and the current models of governance prevailing in it are in dire need of a deep philosophical introspection with regards to the rationale of power. Doing so will shift the political act to higher understandings of governance, which in turn will reinstate the authenticity of the national state, and restore the rights and duties to the common people.
Add a review
You must be logged in to post a review.
