From Fascism to Fundamentalism
Critical Theory said very little about religion per se. Its primary focus was
the rise of Fascism, and following WWII, mass society, mass culture and the
demise of emancipatory reason in “one dimensional” society. But as I have
argued, not only are there many underlying psycho-cultural similarities
between Fascism and fundamentalism, but certain authors use the very term
“clerical fascism”.^60 The fundamental theoretical premise of this analysis has
argued that fascisms and fundamentalisms in general are both responses to
alienation and ways that would assuage that alienation. A long tradition of
alienation theory and research has noted that there can be other material
bases to alienation, not the least of which can be political domination, which
itself often sustains economic domination, deprivation and immiseration.
Fundamentalism has been a growing response to the adversities of the now
globalized world. Its demands for submission to its absolutist and simplis-
tic world views and compliance with its essentialist codes of gender hierar-
chy and rigid morality promise moral renewal and social regeneration. As
was noted, submission to authority, rigid social hierarchies, moralism and
simplification of reality, offer solace and comfort in world seemingly out of
control.
Neither Weber nor the Frankfurt School said much about Islam in gen-
eral, let alone Islamism and its extreme forms of martyrdom/terrorism.^61
Nevertheless, the Critical Theory tradition provides a framework for theo-
rizing the rise and I would argue immanent demise of Islam and, in turn,
the move to fundamentalism. As was noted, we need to begin with the cri-
tique of political economy and simply note that throughout the world fun-
damentalism began to flourish at the same time as globalization began to
create a unified world market. But while globalization created enormous
wealth, for the few, it did not bring benefits to the multitudes buffeted by
the winds of social change as many established forms of commerce and
employment waned while new products and methods of doing business came
From the Caliphate to the Shaheedim• 337(^60) There are differences between classical fascism and fundamentalisms over the
nature of governance, eg fascisms did not use religious texts as the basis of law. See
Harman 61 , 2003.
Although his scattered references did indeed inspire a number of scholars such
as Turner, and Schlucter etc, to focus on Weber, he did not offer a systematic account
as he did with China or India.