The spoils mentality: how it undermines big projects and leads to collapse ✍️ Hisham Mahmoud Suleiman
The spoils mentality is a phenomenon associated with individuals or groups who seek to exploit resources and profits excessively and temporarily without regard for the long-term or lasting effects on the system or society. and immediate benefit, ignoring the more important values or principles that can contribute to building a sustainable future
The spoils mentality is considered a major factor in many historical and political collapses, as the greed for personal gain at the expense of the public interest can lead to the erosion of common efforts and the collapse of states and societies. major projects. mentalities because of their destructive role on societal security and peace.
Here are some striking examples to illustrate the impact of the loot mentality in the past and present.
The spoils and their impact on the fall of states in the past:
A. The fall of Andalusia: –
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In Andalusia, despite the prosperity of Islamic civilization, the spoils mentality spread among sect leaders after the collapse of the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba.
Instead of uniting to confront the growing Christian threat, sectarian leaders sought to exploit opportunities at the expense of others. They preferred to obtain personal spoils, such as land or economic gains, at the expense of maintaining a strong political entity.
There were often alliances with enemies with the aim of strengthening the internal situation, but this led to division and increased monopolization of lands and gains without thinking about the fate of Andalusia as a whole.
This mentality caused a decline in military and economic power, which made it easier for Christian kingdoms to reconquer their lands one after another, ultimately leading to the fall of Andalusia.
B. The Abbasid Empire (advanced stage):
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Over time, the mentality of spoils and nepotism dominated the Abbasid state, especially during the era of the later caliphs. The distribution of positions and resources has become dependent on personal loyalty to elites and not on competence. led to the disintegration of the Abbasid state and its weakness in the face of external powers such as the Buyids, the Seljuks and finally the Mongols, who overthrew it in 1258.
C. Ottoman Empire (17th-19th centuries): –
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After a period of power under the rule of the first ten sultans, the spoils mentality prevailed within the Ottoman system, with the distribution of land and jobs now based on personal rewards (the previously efficient timar system, s 'is transformed into an operating system). tool, and it was also a difficult result.
This led to economic and military decline and increasing corruption, which made the empire “the sick man of Europe” until its fall after the First World War.
D. European colonialism in Africa: –
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Colonial countries like Belgium (in Congo) used the spoils mentality to deplete natural resources for the benefit of European elites, which destroyed the social and economic structure of African countries.
After independence, many African countries inherited systems based on resource exploitation and corruption, which led to the collapse of some of them, such as Zaire (later Democratic Republic of Congo). ) under the reign of Mobutu.
E. Soviet Union:-
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Despite its presentation as a socialist state, some party elites unfairly controlled resources. Bureaucratic corruption and the loot mentality contributed to the collapse of the economy.
By the late 1980s, this internal exhaustion and economic weakness caused the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
And . The Safavid state in Iran: –
At the end of the Safavid state, the ruling elites began to compete for spoils instead of managing the state sustainably.
This led to the weakness of the state and its fall before the Afghan invasion in 1722.
g. The Safavid state in Iran: –
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At the end of the Safavid state, the ruling elites began to compete for spoils instead of managing the state sustainably.
This led to the weakness of the state and its fall before the Afghan invasion in 1722.
B. The morality of loot in the modern era: –
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A. Libya (Gaddafi era)
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Gaddafi's regime relied on distributing oil wealth as spoils to members of certain tribes to keep the regime in power, while neglecting economic development and infrastructure.
This led to the collapse of state institutions and, after the overthrow of Gaddafi, the country descended into chaos due to the absence of any sustainable system.
B. The spoils mentality in Sudan
How was the bailout state overthrown?
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In Sudan, the spoils mentality was embodied in the Salvation regime which ruled the country from 1989 to 2019. After the regime came to power through a military coup, energies began to think about exploitation of resources, so the oil was extracted under difficult circumstances and an unjust American blockade, and during one of the dog conferences in Al-Alifoun, I remember well what he said, the Dr. Hassan Al-Turabi, said that I feared for you the temptation of money and power, and it was after the flow of money. oil and resource growth that gave rise to the spoils of gluttony mentality. Instead of harnessing the revenue to work towards building the Sudanese state and strengthening its economy, the priority was to grant personal gains to loyalists, whether in the form of jobs, economic contracts or of particular interests, including those who flattered those in power.
He achieved great gains and great privileges, and as soon as the revolution broke out, he turned to rescue and began as if he were one of the main opponents of rescue.
This mentality led to endemic corruption, the accumulation of debt and the deterioration of public services at a time when citizens desperately needed to improve their living standards and develop infrastructure. It also led to the marginalization of other national powers and exacerbation. Ultimately, this decline in good governance and resource management led to the disintegration of the state in Several economic and social crises contributed to the fall of the regime after a wave of massive popular protests in 2019.
The spoils mentality and the erosion of big ideas:
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The spoils mentality affects not only countries and policies, but also big ideas and social movements. The more groups and individuals are preoccupied with competing for personal gains, the more the principles upon which great ideas are based erode instead of striving to build a society. In a just and sustainable society, the emphasis is on quick individual gain, which leads to wasted energy and a weakening of the collective spirit.
Furthermore, the spoils mentality leads to exploiting ideal wealth without working to achieve overall development goals, thus losing the strategic dimension that should direct collective action towards building a solid foundation for future generations.
conclusion:-
The spoils mentality is considered one of the greatest enemies of development and sustainability. It leads to the corruption of political systems, the disintegration of great ideas and the dissipation of wealth, whether material or intellectual. , the priority must be on common objectives and on investment in the future rather than on the search for immediate personal gains.
