Book Review: Jean-Pierre Filiu, From Deep State to Islamic State: The Arab Counter-Revolution and its Jihadi Legacy
| Author | Christopher Featherstone |
| Published date | 01 November 2017 |
| Date | 01 November 2017 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/1478929917718671 |
| Subject Matter | Book ReviewsOther Areas |
Political Studies Review 15(4)
central government has control over these
building occurred in the post-colonial Arab
powers in practice.
nations and shows how these developments
The author also claims that the introduc-
enabled the creation of ‘Deep States’ in Egypt
tion of a federal system along ethnic lines in
and Syria, among others. His in-depth exami-
the country has significantly undermined com-
nation of Nasser’s regime in Egypt and Assad’s
mon nationalism and curtailed individual
in Syria is a must-read.
rights and liberties. The study closely exam-
The identification of ‘Deep States’ is the
ines the utilisation of a set of Marxist-Leninist
strongest aspect of this book. What requires
ideological mechanisms by the TPLF/EPRDF.
greater attention is the link between the ‘Deep
These ideological mechanisms include the
State’ and the development and growth of
right to national self-determination for all
Islamic State, as referred to in the book’s title.
major ethnic groups, democratic centralism
The point that the ‘Deep States’ benefitted from
within the party structure, the principle of rev-
the ‘War on Terror’ and used the situation to
olutionary democracy, the practice of peer
strengthen their individual ‘Deep State’ is inter-
evaluation by party members and the notion of
esting but not unique.
developmental state.
Giving the example of Yemen, where the
The study describes how the ‘aggressive’
Republican Guard was supported by the US
application of these ideological instruments
and was commanded by the President’s son
has enabled the ruling coalition to maintain its
(p. 141), Filiu clearly shows how the ‘Yemeni
de facto control of the political system in
Mamluks’ benefitted from US cooperation in
Ethiopia. However, the study’s excessive
counter-terrorism activity and thus consoli-
focus on the TPLF/EPRDF’s ideological
dated their own position (p. 145). However, he
direction and their de facto control over...
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