Agricultural Development in the West Bank (ص 47)

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عنوان

Agricultural Development in the West Bank (ص 47)

المحتوى

Religion
West mankers are of two major religions, Islam and
constituted a majority of
Gnristianity.
According to the 1967 Census, Moslems
99.3%, while Christians amounted to 6.18." Christians are aostly
@ncentrated in urban centres, mainly in Ramallah, Bethlehem,
and Jerusalem. There are, however, several villages where Christians
constitute a majority of population. Prominent examples are Beit
Sahour, Beit Jala (Bethlehem District), Birzeit, Jifna, Taibe, Aboud
(Ramallah District), and Zababdeh (Jenin District). In total the
Ghristian rural population hardly exceeds 30,000, which is less
than 7 percent of the total rural population in the West Bank.
Religious and social constraints to agricultural development
The process of agricultural development in the West Bank bears
heavily on a wide range of religious, social, and demographic
factors. some of these values may facilitate development, whereas
Others may be indifferent or hostile to it. In this section we
Shall evaluate the interaction of two social structures on
economic and agricultural development; the role of the Islamic
faith in development motivation and the attitudes of local
‘ommnities to manual professions. In later sections we shall
iscuss the role of women in agricultural labour and the impact
Of demographic attributes on the dynamics of the labour narket.
Islam and development motivation
The role of religion in the development process in underdeveloped
Sountries is complex and controversial. Empirical evidence, for
shows that poverty and underdevelopment are pronounced
nee
1
. of 1967 for West Bank (p XI
ET (P XII) and East Jerusalen
in Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East,
where adherence to
religions is strong,
This is in sharp contrast with the high
rates of development and affluence in European and American
countries, which have a lesser role for the churches.
Obviously the interaction between religion and development,
whether in poor or rich countries is too complex to permit any
easy conclusions. This is an area where there is room for
further research, particularly in Moslem countries. for our
Purposes, however, it is fitting to examine briefly the impact
of religious affilitation on evelopment efforts in the West
Bank, especially in rural areas.
Western economists and thinkers do not hesitate to refer much of
the economic and social ailments of Moslem countries to their
religious beliefs. Most of thea wuld subscribe to Vivian Bull's
assessment that "Islamic tradition appears to offer little to
Support the necessary preconditions for development.’ Truly
Mough, the casual reader of the Koran will find plenty of
Sonnotations which degrade material well-being and conceive of
worldly life as merely an interim test period for the human
being. Believers who pass the test are rewarded with an eternal
life in "paradise", and those who do not are to be punished in "hell",
While it is true that Koranic injunctions place excessive emphasis
‘on observance of patterns of behaviour which would qualify the
"Q00d" Moslem for his other life, it is equally true that Islam
has utterly forbidden its followers to devote their lives to
Practising religious rituals. This message is clear in many
—
Vivian Bull, op cit, p 32+

هو جزء من

Agricultural Development in the West Bank

تاريخ

١٩٨٢

المنشئ

Hisham Masoud Awartani

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