In the Middle East, the world is often seen through the prism of conspiracy theories. Referenced in serious and less serious conversations, conspiracy theories offer appealing explanations to events ranging from the mundane neighbourly dirty look to geo-political turning points.

For believers, they satisfyingly uncover the machination behind important events, like entering the cave of Ali Baba and discovering its best kept secrets. Rarely plausible and frequently ludicrous, no theory is too bizarre to be considered in the ever so imaginative bazaar of Middle Eastern conspiracy belief.

Conspiracy theories are, by no means, a purely Middle Eastern phenomenon. For instance, over a third of Americans seem to think that global warming is a hoax. Others question official explanations of significant events such as the assassination of the United States President John Kennedy in 1963, or the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. The prevalence of conspiracy theories in some Asian countries is also noteworthy.

Its prevalence in the Middle East however is unparalleled anywhere else in the world.

A Resistance to Falsification

The definition of conspiracy theory offers clues about its popularity in the Middle East. A conspiracy theory is an attempt to explain events, usually important events, involving a secret plot and careful planning by powerful groups. Those groups are often considered sinister, oppressive and malevolent. By definition, conspiracy theories are speculative, since the actions in questions are hidden from the public. As such, they are hard to refute, since the players supposedly act stealthily and make sure they hide their trails. This resistance to falsification enhances the belief in conspiracy theories. It implies that non believers or those who try to debunk those theories might themselves be part of the conspiracy theories.

“The Refuge of the Powerless.”

The first reason behind the central role of conspiracy belief in the Middle East is most likely related to the political construct of the region. Research has shown an undeniable relationship between a lack of empowerment and conspiracy belief . People who feel powerless, unrepresented, ineffectual look for causes that they believe have to be bigger than them, outside their control and devised by powerful groups. In other words, they look to make sense of the world through conspiracy belief. In the case of the Middle East, this lack of empowerment is evident: Few countries in the Middle East, if any, are real democracies. Few countries have transparent clean governments with robust governance. Freedom of press is a rarity.

This opaque relationship with the ruling regimes and the lack of empowerment it creates present a fertile ground for conspiracy belief. Additionally, with a large number of Middle Eastern countries failing to provide economic prosperity to their citizens, conspiracy theories provide a convenient justification. After all, it is easier for ruling regimes to deflect and blame “imperial powers” and secretive shadowy groups than admit their own incompetence.

A Lost Glory

Besides feeling powerless, there is no question that the Middle East’s glorious but long lost history plays a critical role in its conspiracy belief. People on the losing side of history or the political process are much more susceptible to conspiracy belief.

The Middle East is the cradle of civilizations. It has witnessed the birth and death of numerous empires, like the Islamic, Persian and Byzantine empires. While not insignificant, today’s Middle-East is a shadow of its former mighty self.

The Middle East tasted glory and then lost it. People read about a glorious past but live in a much less glorious present. The thriving region that produced the three monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the cultural and philosophical center from which innumerable philosophers, poets and schools of thought flourished, the military and economic powerhouse that controlled an area once stretching from the Philippines to Spain, the scientific breeding ground of some of the most important mathematicians and astronomers, is no more.

This distinct sense of loss creates bitterness, anger and a desperate search for an explanation. The conspiracy believer cannot comprehend how such a rich and historically central region can become what it is now. In a twisted way, conspiracy belief offers a way of protecting some sense of self importance. It allows the believer to feel superior by uncovering and shedding light on a scheme that was meant to remain in the dark. Also, by highlighting the outsized power and importance of those malicious players, the believers can get themselves to recuperate some of their pride: After all, who would stand a chance facing such powerful foes, whether they’re imaginary or real?

Cui Bono?

Beliefs in conspiracy theories is also correlated with a lower level of education and a reduced ability to think analytically. Some of the conspiracy theories in the Middle-East are so easy to debunk when a minimal amount of critical thinking is applied. Unsurprisingly, education in the Middle-East is generally poor. A UNICEF report for instance shows that education is generally of mediocre quality (with the exception of a few countries), and those same countries consistently score poorly in international standardized tests. UNICEF blames traditional education, rigid teacher student methods and outdated curricula.

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Written by Omar Slim
Image: Conspiracy by Riddlen
Publication date: March 15, 2020

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