Abstract
Current discussions and disputes about the character of radical Islam and Islamic fundamentalism would benefit from an awareness of earlier assessments of these matters by important Western scholars and thinkers. Some of these conflicting assessments are reminiscent of past disputes about the nature of Communist systems that used to divide Western intellectuals. As will be recalled, there were deep disagreements between those favorably disposed toward Communist systems and movements and those critical of them. A similar divide exists today with regard to radical Islam, perhaps not quite so deep. In both cases, central to the disagreements have been the questions: to what degree do beliefs and ideologies determine policies or behavior? How closely do ideas shape actions?
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Notes
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© 2008 Paul Hollander
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Warraq, I. (2008). Apologists of Totalitarianism: From Communism to Islam. In: Hollander, P. (eds) Political Violence. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230616240_12
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