In Search of Hegemony

Nationalism and Religion in the Middle East

Abstract

Belief systems help states sustain authority by legitimizing the commands of rulers. Once authority is legitimized in the minds of those over whom it is exercised, those who obey do so in part out of a willingness to sacrifice other interests to do what they regard as right. States able to establish their commands as legitimate can extract resources efficiently, but not as efficiently as when their authority to do so is established hegemonically. Hegemonic authority is construed by the ruled population as a natural part of life, prompting habitual compliance rather than obedience based on contingent judgments of right and wrong. This essay summarizes a theory of hegemony developed from Antonio Gramsci to reduce the confusion that usually attends studies of nationalism. The usefulness of the theory is illustrated by applying it to the changing role of nationalism and religion in Middle Eastern politics.