Question: Is Religion what causes the economic trouble in the Middle East?

The Question is naïve and too wrong also too simple. When I was child I did ask that question to myself too but I was naïve back then.

The Question hides an assumption that once we get rid of religion economic troubles would be over. I explain how wrong that would be never mind Stalin’s historical lessons of it.

They are powers in every Country. We need to be careful not to concentrate all the powers in one area. Some countries Religion has all the power, some military has it all. I’m not saying religion or military should not have any powers but I’m saying they shouldn’t have all of the powers. Even democratic government should not have all of the powers.

Yes, Country can be economically healthy and religious as long as power distribution structures are in place. Government becomes a collaborator of powers. Government may have the most shares of the powers but not at all of the powers. This way the Government can be religious or military and still be economically healthy.

A country which has a religious government not based on democracy can also be economically healthy. As long as the religion does not becomes the sole power.

So, what made Middle East countries so that religion seems to have all of the powers?
In these countries they are no power structures so religion feels the vacuum.

What power structures am I talking about other than military, religion or government?
Regional areas in the country shares some of the government power we call them councils. Power given to each council could be ability to raise the standard of the national curriculum in their schools or make their own local laws, make their own tax schemes if approved by the central government.

This relieves the burden placed on the central government and actually makes the government more efficient because now local councils do most of the work for their area.

Scientist, teachers, workers and students even parents can their powers too.

In the Middles East everything is expected from the Central government, one man or one religion. Only they can pass laws, reduce employment, open factories, help to establish companies, put out incentives to invest, promote gender equality…etc. This make the machine we call government really slow to run.

What I think needs to be done is not accuse religion and blame it on it but to put in power structures into those countries so the vacuum disappears.