Hi,
So actually, sociology can offer an explanation. Alas, as Wojtek points out, it is that fascism--the most extreme form of right-wing populism--is primarily a repressive movement of middle-class activists. They are mobilized and manipulated by reactionary ruling class interests, but create an autonomous movement that frequently gets out of control.
Since fascism is apocalyptic and palingenetic, it divides the world into good and evil, and sets out to destroy the evil and bring on the heroic rebirth. Its own explanations for its motives are rooted in demonization, scapegoating, and conspiracism.
These are clerical fascist movements that are not playing by the same rules as liberation struggles. They do not want to stop the hand of the US in global politics...they want to stop the hands of time--hands which point inexorably toward the progress they see as scribing Satan's path.
-Chip
----- Original Message ----- From: "Wojtek Sokolowski" <sokol at jhu.edu> To: <lbo-talk at lists.panix.com> Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2001 4:52 PM Subject: Re: Sociology and Explanations (Re: Hitchens responds to critics
Lots of <<<SNIPS>>>
>
> Ravi, you are still making an assumption that bin Laden and Co is a
> reaction to the wrongs of the US policy. Following that logic, Eastern
> European pogroms or Nazism should be seen a reaction to the wrongs
> commmitted by international Jewery. At this point one may ask "what wrongs?"
>
> The point I am proposing is that we should adopt a different frame of
> reference to discussing islamist fundamentalism - not as as a reaction to
> popular discontent but as the creation of reactionary elements in the
> ruling class of Arab/Islamic countries (esp. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan).
> An analogy can be made fo the fascist movement in Italy, that originated as
> a band of ex- World War I soldiers, bankrolled by landowners and
> industrialists, to attack labor organizers. Islamic militants have similar
> origins.
>
> Fascist movements often espouse poplist ideologies to attract more
> followers that may sound similar to the ideologies espoused by socialist
> movements, such as attacks on capitalism, international organizations,
> wealthy individuals, moral decadence etc. But make no mistake - they are
> very different types of movements.
> As I said before, what bin Ladin and company say is a mere excuse and not a
> reason. What they are against is not specific US policies but modernism
> and its "perils" - equality, secularism, rationality, democracy.. The US is
> merely a symbol, and its policies - mere excuses. In the same vein, Nazi
> propagandists were denouncing Jewish "greed" and "disloyalty" to justify
> nazi-led attacks on Jewish population.