Marx, Engles and the "Middle East"

[apathy maybe]

I've just started reading The Communist Movement in the Arab World by a Tareq Y. Ismael. It is available on line at http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=108865253

On page 3 the author considers what Marx and Engels wrote on the subject. He presents them as being eurocentric (and to me bordering on racism).

"For both, the dominant characteristic of the Arab world was a backwardness rooted in colonial domination and perpetuated by oppressive tradition." (Op. cite.)

"Simply stated, the objective conditions of Arab society worked against the development of any mode of production other than the Asiatic mode, which was the embodiment of underdevelopment and backwardness. According to Marx, no progress whatsoever could develop from the Asiatic mode of production, and Western intervention was the only possible way out of the impasse." (Op cit.)

"In the final analysis, one can accurately say that the greatest flaw of Marx and Engels in their analysis of the Middle East was the “extent to which they inherited virtually en bloc a traditional European discourse on Asia. " (Op cit.)

So what do people think of this?

[Cryotank Screams]

I don't think they were euro-centric at all, nor was any Leftist thinker, they were just going upon what they knew, what was around them, what they saw, what they studied, and considering they lived in europe, and where european, their writings would be based upon the analysis of europe, and historical events of europe, but this doesn't make them euro-centric, I mean overall Marxism, Anarchism, and Leftism in general though written from a european mind set, and talks about european events, and such, can be applied to any culture anywhere.

[rouchambeau]

I don't think they were euro-centric at all, nor was any Leftist thinker, they were just going upon what they knew, what was around them, what they saw, what they studied, and considering they lived in europe, and where european, their writings would be based upon the analysis of europe, and historical events of europe, but this doesn't make them euro-centric

Then what sense does it make for them to make assertions about non-Europeans? None at all. The fact that Marx only "knew things about Europe" while still thinking himself all-knowing enough to say what was backwards for any culture is very contradictory.

[KC]

Then what sense does it make for them to make assertions about non-Europeans? None at all. The fact that Marx only "knew things about Europe" while still thinking himself all-knowing enough to say what was backwards for any culture is very contradictory.

Could you provide some Marx quotes that you disagree with?