Arab Nationalism and Contemporary Arab Political Thought: Comparative Perspectives from Nasserism and Gaddafism

nationalism as a school of thought was one of the most important and influential intellectual currents affecting the political and social sphere of Arab societies in the twentieth century. By influencing contemporary Arab political thought, this movement prompted a rethinking and reorganisation of the fundamental policies and orientations of certain Arab states, as well as the adoption of specific policies with defined objectives, the most important of which were Arab unity and liberation from colonialism. Nasser and Gaddafi, the leaders of Egypt and Libya, were among the most prominent leaders who embraced the ideology of Arab nationalism in the twentieth century and sought to operationalise it within the actual context of Arab society. In order to realise the goals of Arab nationalism, these two Arab leaders, while modifying their countries' domestic and foreign policies, provided the necessary grounds for its popular acceptance. Recognising the necessity and importance of examining the issue of Arab nationalism and the possibility of reviving this intellectual and political current in the future, the author has investigated its roots. In this regard, while elucidating the concept of Arab nationalism, the study examines its intellectual and political origins as well as the foundations and principles of this school of thought. Subsequently, adopting an analytical-comparative approach, the study examines and compares the experiences of the two Arab leaders who were standard-bearers of Arab nationalism in the twentieth century—namely Nasser and Gaddafi—and discusses the successes and failures of their nationalist policies.