Confucian and Islamic Anti-Liberalisms

Abstract

Abstract This chapter develops the anti-liberalism framework by generalizing Vallier’s critique of integralism to cover Sunni Islam and Chinese Confucianism. Their anti-liberal theologians use history and symmetry arguments. They are also more or less vulnerable to transition, stability, and justice arguments. This chapter focuses on Confucian Jiang Qing and Sunni Muslim Rached Ghannouchi by first situating them in their religious traditions. It outlines their respective political theologies—Jiang’s Way of Humane Authority and Ghannouchi’s Islamic Democracy. It then applies the anti-liberalism framework to their political views. Jiang must grapple with a powerful stability argument, whereas Ghannouchi must grapple with a powerful justice argument.