What are major differences between a Caliphate and a modern Republic?
score:15
The word "caliph" comes from the Arabic "khalifa", which means "successor [of the Prophet]". The caliph claims a religion-based legitimacy, instead of popular support as in republics. The philosophy is totally different. A caliphate's objective is to have a government based on the Sharia, while a republic seeks to have a government based on popular will.
Successions and elections in historical caliphates
Your question seems to be focused on elections and successions in historical caliphates. Historically, in most of the so-called "caliphate", the post of Caliph was inherited. That's why you have Umayyad caliphate, Ottoman caliphate, etc. that are named after the dynasty that controls it. The notable exception, as you mentioned, was the first four caliphs (so-called Rashidun Caliphate).
Even during the Rashidun Caliphate, the election process wasn't really designed to represent popular will and is totally different from elections in modern republic. The main criteria was who could better advance Islam, and popular support isn't the main criteria. There wasn't really a vote where the leader were selected by the majority like in a papal election.
For example, Caliph Umar was appointed by Abu Bakr (the preceding caliph) during the latter's last days, based on advise from a group of pious people. There weren't even a proper meeting where the pious people got to vote and the votes get counted. Basically Abu Bakr just summoned them one by one, interview them with questions like "Who do you think should take over", "What you think about Dude X", etc. and the final decision was by Abu Bakr. This is accepted by Islamic historians, for example here: Selection of Umar (mp3 - listen from around 2:00). This is totally different from an election in modern democratic republic.
Upvote:0
The major difference is that a Caliphate, is a type of rule/governance that is based upon religiously based heredity, whereas a Republic, is a type of rule that is based on the election of Representatives and a Head of State-(i.e. Prime Minister or President).
The word, "Caliphate", meant, succession or heirdom, that is to say, who would be the rightful successor or heir to Muhammad and his legacy. Caliphs-(and for that matter Sultans), were never elected by the public, but rather, were heirs-(or successors), to the previous rulers. In a way, the earliest Caliphs-(as well as Sultans), were Theocrats, that is to say governing a Caliphate-(or Sultanate), strictly based on Shariah-(religious and theologically based) law.
However, a Republic, meant, "the public rule", and is essentially, not so dissimilar to the meaning of the word, "Democracy". The public/people's choice of their rulers/leaders happens through a widespread electoral process. In a Republic, the public/people, ultimately, determine the fate of their country through the leaders they choose to represent them on their behalf. And unlike a pure or true Democracy, a Republic places a greater emphasis on representational leadership in terms of a country's national future.
A Republic, historically and currently, has never, nor does it adhere to a set of strict religious laws and edicts. Religion, in a republic, tends to have minimal significance-(if any significance at all), in terms of its influence on the lawmaking process. In the case of the United States, the Establishment Clause officially distances religion from the Public Square; however, such is not the case in a Caliphate-(or Sultanate), whereby religion, is at the center of the lawmaking process.
Upvote:5
@ChintaLaura's explanation is excellent - well researched and reasoned analysis of the question you asked. Your question however hints at a deeper interest in the function of government and various alternative mechanisms to fulfill that function. I think Fukayama's Origins of Political Order might provide a useful analytical framework. Loosely summarizing the tail end of that work, he suggests that there are three components of government; Power (the ability to establish and maintain order), Legitimacy (subordination to a rule of law) and Accountability.
Both the Republic and the Caliphate attempt to create and maintain order within their states. The chief difference is how they obtain legitimacy and accountability. The Republic (should) arise from the consent of the governed (legitimacy) and be accountable to the people through elections. I have only a very limited understanding of the Caliphate, but my understanding, bolstered by @ChintaLaura's answer is that the Caliphate relies on Sharia for both legitimacy and accountability. The people are able to compare the Caliphate's performance to the obligations described in Sharia, and thereby hold the Caliph accountable.
Fukayama goes on to examine a wide variety of other issues that affect government (for example the role of institutions), and he explicitly discusses governance in the Ottoman Empire.
More post
- 📝 Has there been a war in which the South conquered the North?
- 📝 What was the purpose of each project site during the Manhattan Project?
- 📝 How to cite sources in a way thats translateable
- 📝 Did Army Group Center have easier going up to Smolensk than between Smolensk and Moscow?
- 📝 Was the Minoan civilization warlike?
- 📝 Why is this Latin text black but the Latin numerals are red?
- 📝 What share of refugees crossed borders during WW2 and its aftermath?
- 📝 When did Phintys say "A woman's particular virtue is modesty . . ."?
- 📝 Have historians offered interpretations on why the disciples claimed they saw a resurrected Jesus?
- 📝 What was Nazi doctrine towards pro-Nazi Jews?
- 📝 How were nobles 'promoted' in aristocracies?
- 📝 Why are the "Three Musketeers" called musketeers?
- 📝 Does government play a genuinely significant role in history, or is it simply a tool for interest groups to apply force on their behalf?
- 📝 Why didn’t Christianity spread southwards from Ethiopia in the Middle Ages?
- 📝 Allied assistance of the Soviets during WW2
- 📝 What did early humans do with their long hair?
- 📝 Why was the Deutschland so ineffective compared to the Admiral Graf Spee and the Admiral Scheer?
- 📝 How were noblewomen named/titled in Medieval France, c. 11th century?
- 📝 When was the first recorded example of a race competition in human history?
- 📝 Virginia's response to Harper's Ferry, compared to the US response to 9/11
- 📝 Why do schools in Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea use the Westminster Quarters as school chime?
- 📝 Use separation papers to identify a US soldier's WWII service in Northern France GO 46 WD 45
- 📝 Who is responsible for the partition of Palestine?
- 📝 Explain the symbols in the relief of Thoth raising Seti I in the Temple of Seti I at Abydos
- 📝 Why does Retsö claim that only members/clients of Arabian tribes were considered "real Muslims" in the Umayyad Caliphate before 750?
- 📝 Did the Chief of Soviet General Staff really say this?
- 📝 At the time of Sputnik, what kind of radios were common in the Soviet Union?
- 📝 When did coal replace firewood in early America?
- 📝 Where can one study the movements of the natives of North America prior to European contact
- 📝 What is this military uniform from the 1870s?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 What are major differences between a Caliphate and a modern Republic?
- 📝 What are the three major differences between the first and second silk road?
- 📝 In WWII, what were the major differences in tank combat on the eastern and western fronts?
- 📝 What were the key differences between United States' and Indian revolutions?
- 📝 What is the connection between the rise of modern football in the UK and the shortening of the work week?
- 📝 What are the modern roles of brigadier generals and commodores?
- 📝 What were the differences between mortars and other artilleries in world war I?
- 📝 What similarities exist between the Kalapas theory from Subcontinental Indians, and the modern theory of atom?
- 📝 What were the differences between the Sieges of Constantinople in 678, 717, and 1453, inc. Greek Fire?
- 📝 What were the differences between the Waffen SS and the Wehrmacht in their role during the war?
- 📝 What were the technological differences between Japan and the USA in World War 2?
- 📝 What is a major historical event historians are deeply divided over?
- 📝 What is the oldest authentic example of people complaining about modern times and the young?
- 📝 What is the difference between the Ancient Greek religion and the Ancient Roman religion?
- 📝 What do the modern Japanese people think about the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
- 📝 What is the difference between the Middle Ages and the Dark Ages?
- 📝 What are the text and subtext of this 1949 Soviet cartoon?
- 📝 How was the modern geographic boundary between Europe and Asia decided?
- 📝 What was the shortest time between a historical event occuring and a museum opening dedicated to said event?
- 📝 What is the earliest evidence of contact between Ireland and Egypt?
- 📝 What exactly was East Prussia between 1933 and 1945? Was it part of a larger government, and which one?
- 📝 Who are the three men standing and what are they holding at this University of Paris Doctors' Meeting?
- 📝 What is the small country between USSR and Mongolia in 1935?
- 📝 What size are these mosaics of Justinian and Theodora?
- 📝 What are the origins of sizing a squad in modern foot drill?
- 📝 Are modern handguns a major reason for democratization?
- 📝 What are the historical reasons for religious and political negative attitudes towards h*m*sexuality?
- 📝 What are the origins of knife and fork language etiquette?
- 📝 What did Canadians use to pay for goods or services between 1871 and 1935?
- 📝 What is the origin of Khans? Is there any link between South Asian Khans and the Mongols?