Sectarianism
In: Dissent: a journal devoted to radical ideas and the values of socialism and democracy, Band 55, Heft 1, S. 37-46
ISSN: 0012-3846
A discussion of sectarianism in politics begins with a look at the dual view of politics as economics (capitalism) & politics as religion. It is argued that typically people see both of these pictures of politics; however, sectarianism is identified as that condition when one sees only the religious view. Sectarianism is seen as a mode of operation & a state of mind centered on a negative attitude toward compromise that underpins certain characteristics: (1) a gap between a lack of numbers & size of ambitions, (2) the narcissism of small differences, (3) Manichaeism, & (4) obsession with ritual purity. A distinction is made between sectarianism & sectorialism, & the link between sectarianism & civil war is addressed, along with Israeli concerns regarding the prospect of "fraternal war" should a compromise with the Palestinians be reached. Attention is then given to two key questions: (A) Can a social democrat be sectarian? (B) Can sectarianism exist in a social democracy? It is concluded that while sectorialism is no longer an option for social democracy, sectarianism is totally incompatible with it. D. Edelman