The Arab Nationalists Movement 1951-1971: From Pressure Group to Socialist Party (ص 32)

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The Arab Nationalists Movement 1951-1971: From Pressure Group to Socialist Party (ص 32)

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25
nationalism which stressed the absolute sovereignty of the
national state. He advocated the fusion of the individual
into the nation, to the extent of sacrificing the individual's
freedom. 27
He also repudiated all sorts of regional
nationalisms in the Arab World by extending the concept of
the Arab nation to include Egypt and North Africa.
Al-Husry based his theory of nationalism on the predominant
factor of language to include all those who speak the
Arabic language. His definitive studies on Arab nationalism
helped straighten many misconceptions on Arab nationalism
and rendered the existence of one Arab nation an accomplished
fact. That is why al~Husry was considered by many writers as
the philosopher of Arab nationalism.
Al-Husry's writings on nationalism stopped short of
dealing with the socio-economic aspects of nation-building.
Thus his ideas tended to be more successful in the stages of
national protest than in the tasks of national construction.
It was another intellectual, however, Dr. Constantine Zurayk,
who came to grips with the fundamental tasks of nation-
building. Dr. Zurayk urged the Arabs to adopt the institutions.
characteristic of the West as the first step. in meeting the
Challenge of the modern age. His was perhaps the most
systematic attempt to formulate a program based on the ideals
of Anglo-Saxon liberalism. Nevertheless, his ideas did not
appeal to the new generation which grew to maturity in. the
1940's. For one thing, they identified Zurayk's program with
32yaim, op. cit., p. 44.

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The Arab Nationalists Movement 1951-1971: From Pressure Group to Socialist Party

Date

1971-02-07

Creator

Basil R. Al-Kubaisi

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