Religion and the Good Polity

Authors

• Donald E. Smith, University of Pennsylvania

Abstract

The article explores the evolving relationship between religion and political structures, highlighting the historical centrality of religion in shaping polity across various cultures. It examines the processes of secularization, which weaken the religious-political link, and the resurgence of religious influences in governance, particularly in the context of Islamic fundamentalism. The author questions whether religious states can embrace democracy or if they tend toward authoritarianism, concluding that religion retains a role in shaping moral values despite the challenges faced by secular states.

Disciplines

Law

Recommended Citation

Donald E. Smith, Religion and the Good Polity, 4 Cardozo J. Int'l & Comp. L. 277 (1996).
Available at: https://larc.cardozo.yu.edu/cjicl/vol4/iss2/5