Response to Post #40 & #84

To Javid I. Chaudhry Sahib

 

I wanted to acknowledge your scholarly presentation in the seminar and also  post #40 for me. I do have difficulties with some of your assertions but it would be unfair if I did not thank you for addressing me to alleviate my concerns. I always learn something new from your works.

 

 

To Aziz Sahib:

 

I finally got the chance to read your post #84. It is beautifully put together. To take the real advantage of your knowledge of Europe’s social dynamics, I have a question at this point. May I ask the question but only if it does not disrupt the flow of your argument directed towards “Why has democracy not taken root in most Muslim countries”?

 

You wrote: “Much later, in the late 18th century and early 19th century came the Industrial revolution, which give rise to a large business and industrial class --- a new power group”.

 

I am wondering what you exactly meant by “class” in your post. If we understand ‘class’ as, “Groups of people in social economy by the way they stand in relation to the means of production”; I would argue that industrialization in Europe brought about a change in the means of production but the class that controlled the agrarian means of production in feudal system at one point in history, controlled the industrial means of production at a later date.

 

So, I afraid no new class came into existence. How and why do you think business and industrialists represented a new class in social economy of Europe?

 

I might be mistaken in my understanding but I would appreciate if you could address my question.

 

Regards

 

Tahir