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Bourguibism

Policies of the first Tunisian president, Habib Bourguiba From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Bourguibism (Tunisian Arabic: البورقيبية il-Būrgībiyah, French: bourguibisme) refers to the policies of Habib Bourguiba, the first President of Tunisia, and his followers.

Bourguibism is defined by a strong commitment to national independence and specifically Tunisian nationalism (as opposed to pan-Maghrebi or pan-Arab ideas),[1][2] a state capitalist approach on economic development,[3][4] welfare state,[5] a statist and corporatist interpretation of populism,[6] strict secularism,[7] and cultural modernity, advocating Tunisia's place as a bridge between Arab-Islamic and Western civilisation.[8] While Bourguibists condemned Tunisians who had collaborated with the French colonial rulers,[9] they did not repress the strong European cultural influence on Tunisia and French continued to be the language of higher education and elite culture.[10] Bourguibism is sometimes described as a variety of Kemalism but with focus on the Tunisian identity.[11]

As a political style or strategy, Bourguibism is characterised by intransigence in pursuing certain goals and non-negotiable principles combined with flexibility in negotiations and readiness to compromise considering the means to effectuate them.[12] It is therefore described as pragmatic, non-ideological, moderate, and reformist rather than revolutionary, but determined and relentless at the same time.[13][14] For example, despite being decidedly secularist, Bourguiba made sure to curtail the public role of Islam only carefully and gradually, in order not to arouse opposition from conservative Muslims.[10]

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Political parties with Bourguibist platforms

Further reading

  • Brown, L. Carl (2001). "Bourguiba and Bourguibism Revisited: Reflections and Interpretation". Middle East Journal. 55 (1): 43–57.

References

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