A History of Social Justice and Political Power in the Middle East: The Circle of Justice From Mesopotamia to Globalization

This book provides a comprehensive survey of the exercise of political power and justice in the Middle East from ancient Mesopotamia through into the 20th century, through a detailed examination of the Circle of Justice . An indigenous concept of justice which has underpinned the exercise of power in the Middle East to the current day, the Circle of Justice depicts graphically how a government’s justice toward the population generates political power, military strength, prosperity, and good administration. The book traces this set of relationships from its earliest appearance in the political writings of the Sumerians through four millennia of Middle Eastern culture. It explores how people conceptualized and acted upon this powerful insight, how they portrayed it in symbol, painting, and story, and how they transmitted it from one regime to the next. Moving towards the modern day, the author shows how although the Circle of Justice was largely dropped from political discourse, it did not disappear from people’s political culture and expectations of government. The book demonstrates the Circle’s relevance to the Iranian Revolution and the rise of Islamist movements all over the Middle East, and suggests how the concept remains relevant in an age of capitalism. A must read for students, policymakers, and ordinary citizens, this book will be an important contribution to the areas of political history, political theory, Middle East studies and Orientalism.