The Arabs between scientific advancement and social change (2-2) [Archives:2006/958/Opinion]
By: Prof. Abdulaziz Al-Tarb
Eighth, There appears in the Arab horizon an actual crisis embodied in the variation between generations handling the new technology, possess computers and rush to use the internet and other generations that seem to be isolated from these great developments, excusing themselves with advance in age and that what remains of their life is less than what has elapsed. Therefore, the scientific advancement and technological development are not associated with always by social integration and moral change but rather the contrary. The gap seems to be existent until now between those who believe in technology and deal with it and others look at it with care but benefit from it.
Ninth, In the recent years there has been a control of the tone of reform over all the Arab area for external and internal reasons. That tone, however has faded down when the existing regimes have discovered the possibility of appeasing Washington with other alternative methods, such as keeping abreast with its policies in the region so that it could be as a barrier keeping away sharpness of pressures blowing up from the superpower and its allies. However, those regimes missed the fact awakening of the domestic public is stronger and more dangerous tens of times than any future external pressures, especially that the Arab nation is at the threshold of big changes, and that is through scrutinizing of events and reading of the awaited for future.
Tenth, There should not be any belittling of the importance of the social change because the criterion of modernity in the developing societies is related to the change in the human structure and class composition before its connection with the advancement in scientific research or technological development. When we follow up the contemporary Arab societies we feel a sense of concern due to absence of the degree of class harmony sometimes and non-existence of cultural harmony in some other times. This is particular that some societies in the Arab world are still having dual composition and having contradictory identity.
This is a quick reading of a highly important subject because it stands at the joint boundaries of political, cultural, economic and social issues. It represents an essential premonition for all those concerned with the transfer of the Arab world to the arena of the age and interacts with it instead of being just influenced by it and stop at the point of not participating.
Prof. Abdulaziz Al-Tarb is an economist and a professor of Political Science. He is the head of a number of professional associations, such as the Arab Group for Investment and Development.
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[archive-e:958-v:14-y:2006-d:2006-06-26-p:opinion]
