Muslims in the Capitalist Discourse: September 11 and its Aftermath

Abstract

A careful reading and examination of capitalism adumbrates the fact that capitalism expands by constantly revolutionizing its mode of production, and discursively creating and recreating different domains of thought, as without these, capitalism would die. Capitalism discursively created the Third World and thereby deployed a regime of control and power to rule over it. ‘Muslims’ became a new domain of thought and hence a new problematization in the discourse of capitalism after the demise of the Soviet Union. The events of 11 September, 2001 further complicated the situation, and posed a valid justification for expediting the ruthless expansion of capitalism into Muslim lands. With the doctrines of ‘pre-emptive strike’, and ‘policy of instigation’, which the capitalist project adopted (and thereafter actions and motives in Afghanistan and Iraq respectively) one can see some obvious resemblances between the oppressive nature of British colonization and the reified nature of American aggression. Many may see it as a return of colonialism, and hence a challenge to peaceful coexistence.