Knowledge in the Era of Despotism : A Reading of ʿAbd ar-Raḥmân al-Kawâkibî's Ṭabâʾiʿ al-Istibdâd wa Maṣâriʿ al-Istiʿbâd

Abstract

Summary Between 1898 and 1902 the Syrian thinker ʿAbd ar-Raḥmân al-Kawâkibî, a pioneer of the Arabic nahḍa wrote the book Ṭabâʾiʿ al-Istibdâd wa Maṣâriʿ al-Istiʿbâd, The Characteristics of Despotism and the Destructions of Enslavement. The text can be placed within the realm of political philosophy. Apart from being a criticism of the despotic regime of the Ottoman Sultan ʿAbd al-Ḥamîd II, the text is also an exposé of the causes of despotism and its effects upon the society and the individuals. In this reading I seek to look at the relation between the status of knowledge and despotism according to al-Kawâkibî and at the mechanisms which prevent knowledge and promote ignorance within the despotic society. These mechanisms are closely related to how despotism spreads in the society al-Kawâkibî’s portrays. Despotism is portrayed like a virus that penetrates all layers of society, pervades all social classes and in the end destroys the social body. Despotism, in order to be sustained, is in need of people’s ignorance or a general absence of knowledge. Knowledge is important because through knowledge Man will come to know his rights and only if Man knows his rights can he demand his rights and thus force the evil despot to act in the interest of the people. Knowledge then is the remedy that cures the illness of despotism. A combination of conscious and unconscious processes prevents knowledge from spreading; psychological factors in the individuals, the relation between the various groups within society and the physical outlook of the despotic society which is defined by chaos and unrest leaves no room for organized education. These factors contribute to that knowledge under despotism has a confined and limited status. The text is characterized by a rich vocabulary and a wide use of metaphors something which makes the text vital and refreshing. Al-Kawâkibî employs rhetorical tools and the book at times bears resemblance with that of a political speech. Al-Kawâkibî was, as were other thinkers of the Arabic nahḍa, influenced by the writings of the French Enlightenment. In order to place the text in a possible relation to Western influences and in attempt to clarify some of his ideas, I have throughout the thesis made references to Montesquieu, Rousseau and Kant relating to the concepts of ‘despotism’ and ‘knowledge’.